


Grumpy boo

by rite8



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2018-07-12 21:48:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 45,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7123726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rite8/pseuds/rite8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One shot series in between stories</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Grumpy boo

“You know you are not supposes to block the goal right? We are in the same team? You remember that right?” Christen teases the midfielder beside her. 

Tobin gives her girlfriend a ‘no bullshit’ glare. When the forward raised her eyebrows the midfielder’s face soften and turn sheepish. A little grin breaks across Christen faces at her girlfriend behavior. The last 15 minutes since the midfielder sit beside her on the bus, Tobin didn’t say anything to her. She just open her book and start to read ignoring the questioning eyes staring hard at her.

“I mean I know you’ve been practicing the same moves but I don’t think Jill really appreciate that you apply that skill during the game?” Christen continues again. 

She doesn’t think Tobin can keep ignoring her if she talks about the recent game right? Tobin open her mouth to argue but before she can utter a single word, another voice chips in from beside her.

“Yeah…I know you got mad skills, Tobs. But maybe next time you can give your girlfriend a chance to score once in a while?” Pinoe adds before she just walks pass them.

Christen can see Tobins’s shoulder a little deflates after that. The midfielder turns her head slightly and whisper to her companion.

“Sorry for the block, Chris. I really didn’t mean to do that. I know how hard you want to prove to Jill.” 

“Yeah you really didn’t help me today.” Christen replies jokingly. 

Tobin put down her book and turn sadly to her girlfriend. 

“Believe me, Chris. I really tried to push away from blocking the goal but I got tangled up with the other player.” The midfielder pleads.

“Hey..hey..No. I’m just joking. It’s not your fault okay. I mean with everything that’s happening inside the box, I’m surprise that I can even get a single shot to the goal.” The forward replies back softly.

Looking at the still gloomy face of her girlfriend, slowly she take Tobin’s right hand and cradle it between her palms. She lovingly massages the midfielder’s fingers slowly one by one knowing this helps sooth the tense middy.

“Really, don’t worry about it. By the way, how’s the tummy? I saw your slight winces when you bend down just now. Anything I can do to help?” The forward asks. She can’t hide her smile when Tobin offers her other hand.

Tobin take a deep sigh of relief. Yeah she like it when Chris massages her hand like this. She didn’t know whether it is part of her Yoga training but her girlfriend really know the exact area that need attention the most. The first time she does this is when the midfielder was in pain after being kick on the shin by her teammate. She just massage the area between her thumb and index finger and the pain is gone. Since then she is literally a putty in the forwards hand.

“Nah..keep doing that. It’s not pain that I feel now. I feel im’press’ed. Get it?” Tobin wiggle her eyebrows and smirks playfully. Her earlier grumpiness gone the instant she feels her girlfriend comforting touch.  
Christen pushes Tobin’s hand away from her body. The quick transition of her girlfriend’s mood sometimes gives her a whiplash. She tries to act like a concern girlfriend and where did it get her? Tobin seems to be making fun of her now. When she feels Christen releases her hands, Tobin whines like a child being denied her favorite candy. 

“Awww…Chris..I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make fun of you. Can you please continue?” Tobin whines again.

Christen wears hear earphone and ignores her 28 turn 5 years old girlfriend. She can feel Tobin tapping on her shoulder but she lean her head on the window and closes her eyes. Let her be sore tomorrow. Who cares right? 

What 5 years old will do in this situation? As if to prove a point, Tobin just get up and sit herself on her girlfriend’s lap. Christen eyes open in shock when she feel Tobin’s weight on her. She pulls out her earbuds and glares at the face in front of her.

“What are you doing?” She tries to push the midfielder away from her lap but lo and behold, her girlfriend really know how to cling. Really tight.

“Get up, Tobin. Or else.” The forward threatens.

“Soooowwwyyyy…I’m sorry.. Chris….sorry, baby…” Tobin draws out the last syllable at the forwards ears.

She can feel her girlfriend body shudder when she does that. Yeah she knows what her girlfriend weakness is and she’s not ashamed to use it. 

But before she can finish the thought, Christen pushes the unsuspecting midfielder off her lap again. Her girlfriend really has a strong arm, Tobin thought just before she collapse down hard to her own seat. 

“Oww….” The midfielder pouts heavily. When the forward just ignores her she whines again.

“Owww…..Chris I think I bump into something hard. My stomach hurts now.” Her pouting lips jut out further.

Christen roll her eyes at her girlfriend who seem restless at her side now. There is no way she will bump into anything. She want to ignore it but she knows she really kicked the ball hard earlier at the game. She saw how the midfielder bend down awhile to catch her breath. She sigh in relief when Tobin just nods her head signing she’s okay. But she also know Tobin doesn’t like to appear weak in front of her teammate. 

Christen groans internally. She turn slightly to look at her seatmate and shakes her head in disbelief. On top of the pouty face, now she has a very grumpy girlfriend. The midfielder is now kicking the seat in front of her non-stop signaling her agitated states from being ignore.

She continues watching the display with a fond smile. She is disturb from her musing when her fellow forward suddenly pop her head up from the front seat and glares back at them.

“Watch the legs, Heath! Stop kicking or I will go there and kick you for real!” Alex complains angrily.

Tobin stares back defiantly. There’s a tense silence for a few seconds while both play the staring match. Oh god where’s Kelley when she need her. They are going to start a fight if this continues. She grabs her girlfriend wrists before Tobin can move her leg again to retaliate.

“Sorry, Al. She’s just grumpy cause of her sore belly. We will keep it down. Sorry again.” Christen starts to apologise.

Alex turn back around and huff loudly.

Christen knew she need to initiates the move now. So she take Tobin’s right arm and put it around her shoulder. She moves in closer to the midfielder and rest her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder.

“Hey….come on. Let’s settle down. When we get to the hotel, I will most definitely take care of my sore girlfriend. Anything you want just say it.” She promised and gives the midfielder a chaste kiss on her lips.

She saw the corner of Tobin’s lips twitch upwards and the arms around her continues holding on tight until they reach the hotel. 

When the bus stop, Tobin clears her throat to wake her sleepy girlfriend. Once the beautiful green eyes starts to blink open, she blurts out quickly.

“Let’s go Chris. You promise me a massage.” The midfielder excitedly stand up and starts to pull her girlfriend out of the bus. When they reach near the hotel entrance, they heard Julie’s voice shout from behind them.

“Oiitttt…how about the rest of your gears?” The defender holds up both their bags and shakes her head when they both pretend not to hear her.

“Nah…let me get it for them. I think Tobin has been waiting patiently enough.” Alex replied back kindly.

After she saw how excited her friend is, she doesn’t want to burst their bubble. Plus she need to apologise for her harsh behavior earlier. When she’s tired she can be very grumpy too. But of course her friend take precedent because she just took a ball to her stomach and she needs her girlfriend attention right now. She really wish Press luck in handling her grumpy girlfriend

Currently the said forward is trying to get Tobin lies still on the bed while she try to massage the midfielder back. But her girlfriend has another idea. She keep trying to pull her masseuse on the bed and join her in cuddling session. 

“Baby…I want cuddles, now.” The brown eye middy pleads.

“Just now you want a massage. So let me finish this first then we can cuddle okay?” Christen insists.

“Okay..make it fast then.” Her girlfriend retorts back before turning around.

That is not endearing at all, Christen thought to herself. Before long she finishes off the massages and asks the midfielder to turn back around and lies on her back.

“Hm..I don’t want to turn you on. I mean you see how hot my body is right?” Tobin replies jokingly.

“Oh god, just turn you idiot.” 

When Tobin turns around, the forward was shocked to see the dark bruise coloring the midfielder abdomen. It looks very painful and it surprise her that Tobin never say anything about it.  
She crouches down beside the bed and ran her hand lightly over the bruise.

“Does it hurt?” She asks worriedly.

“Not so much. Just don’t poke at it directly it should be okay, I guess.” The midfielder shrugs her shoulder.

Christen presses a small little kiss around the bruises and smiles back at her girlfriend proudly.

“There. I kiss it better.” 

“Yes you do make it better.” Tobin replies back lovingly. Her eyes stares warmly at her green eye girlfriend.

“I’m in love with you, Chris. I really do.” 

The forward blushes red when she heard that. 

“I love you too, Tobin. You are the only one I have ‘heart eyes’ for.” She replies back while smiling happily.

The midfielder laugh out loud and pulls her girlfriend onto the bed.

“Now, lets cuddles!” 

Christen indulges her girlfriend demand. If they do more than cuddles afterwards, well she has promised earlier that anything her girlfriend wants she will gets it. 

Sure enough on the next day, the rest of her teammates constantly teases her about the dark bruises marring the skin around her neck but she just shrug it off playfully. At least it match with the one she left on Tobin’s neck as well. ;-)


	2. My dramatic girlfriend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another one little shots..still have no idea where to go with the other one

Their initial plan to go out and watch movie together has been cancel because Alex insists that Tobin need to spend more the time with her and Kelley. She claimed that she has not really spent time with her best friend since the start of the Olympic Qualifying camp.

At first Tobin refuses to even consider Alex’s suggestion. So when Alex brought it up she just shrugs off her shoulder while ignoring her best friend aka roommate at the moment. Knowing that she was being blown off, she just calls Kelley for reinforcement and together they brought it up to Press.

Imagine the shock on Christen’s face when she was bombarded with the pouting lips and puppy eyes from the three players during breakfast. While Alex and Kelley plead for her to cancel their plan, Tobin pleads for her not to. In the end, the forward just nods her head agreeing reluctantly to her girlfriend’s best friend requests.

“Erm..maybe you should hang out with Alex and Kelley today. We can plan for the movie next time, Tobin.” She suggests.

All three of them look in shock when Tobin storms out of the breakfast hall without saying anything. Cristen sees the hurt flash in Alex’s eyes while looking at Tobin’s retreating form.

‘Hey don’t worry about it. She’s just being unreasonable right now. I’ll talk to her. I’m sure she miss you too.” She signal for Kelley to continue console the sad forward while Christen chase her girlfriend.

When she turn at the corner of the hallway, she saw the midfielder heading into the lift. She make mad sprint towards the lift hoping that it will not close on her.

“Tobin! Hold up!” She shout out.

Unfortunately the lift door still closes before she can reach it. Either her girlfriend didn’t hears her or she is being ignore again. By the time she appear in front of the midfielder’s room she notice the slight gap on the door and when she looks down she notice that there’s a shoe stuck on the between the door preventing it from closing shut. She shakes her head.

“Hey, Tobin. I know you are sad and everything but next time make sure you close off the front door properly before you continues moping around. It’s not safe, okay.” Christen reminds her girlfriend. It’s not like Tobin to be this careless.

“I know you are behind me, Chris. I heard you just now.” The midfielder explains.

Christen raised her eyebrows. So…she was being ignored and that explains the shoe then.

“If you heard me calling out, why didn’t you wait for me?” Christen asks curiously at the midfielder that lounging on her bed comfortably.

Tobin just shrugs off her shoulder. “Cause I don’t want to.” She replies nonchalantly.

Tobin avoid looking into her girlfriend eyes knowing that she will be reprimand at any seconds. When none came, she continues playing with her phone. Now, let see whether her girlfriend will start yelling at her for being ignore. At least when Chris yells, she will not have time to probe me with questions I don’t want to answer, the midfielder thought to herself.

“I will let you finishes off your text but don’t even try to ignore me.” Christen whispered softly.

The midfielder sighed warily. She really got a very persistent girlfriend, Tobin thought.

“Now are you done with your text?” The forward starts.

The midfielder just nods her head but remain silent. Now its Christen turn to sigh loudly.

“Are you ready to tell me what’s wrong now?” Christen voice turn softer. She cannot help but feel hopeless when she doesn’t know what’s bothering her girlfriend.

Tobin just shakes her head and again remain silent. So the green eye forward just take a sit beside Tobin on the bed and lean closer to her arms trying to give comfort as much as possible. Tobin slightly moves and put her arms around the forward shoulder.

This is her favorite thing to do when Christen anywhere near her. In public, Tobin really had a hard times trying to curb her desire to hold the forward close to her all the time. So to compensate, she will do it as much as possible whenever there are alone and the forward never say anything about it. Tobin likes it more when Chris initiates the moves first.

They continues cuddling until Tobin remember about her text earlier. She then pulls out her phone again and just click send. Christen hears her phone vibrate in her pocket. When she pull it out, she notice there’s a new message in her inbox. She raised her eyebrows when she see the text is from Tobin herself.

_I’m sorry I ignore you earlier. But I didn’t get to eat breakfast. Do you mind getting me some? <insert sad emoji here>._

Christen shoots her girlfriend a mystified look while the midfielder tries not to smirk and just shrugs her shoulder innocently.

“Whaaattt….I’m hungryyy…” Tobin whines.

Oh god…Why oh why did she has to fall in love for a child, Christen thought to herself. I mean look at me..I’m hot and I can get anyone I want but I have to fall for this idiot. When Christen remain mute (too shock to say anything actually), Tobin face change from smirking to pouting in mere seconds.

“Oh..never mind. I’ll just wait till Alex and Kelley finish and just go back later. But maybe by then I already passes out because I’m too hungry to function.” The midfielder mutters unhappily.

Dramatic. Should add that as well. Not only had she fallen hard for an idiot she fall for a melodramatic girl as well. This is totally different from the public persona that Tobin show to the public. Oh…the cool laidback person is gone now. Now she is looking at her girlfriend who currently grinning all goofy like a moron.

She’s not sure whether she should feel lucky because she can see this side of her girlfriend or annoyed because of the same reason. Christen groans internally but this beautiful idiot is hers.

“I’m not gonna get any food for you until you tell what happen just now.” She insists.

Tobin sometimes like to hide behind her wall and cover up her sadness and worries but Christen remember her promised that she will keep knocking down the wall until it fully crumbles. That’s how important the midfielder is to her.

“She left me first, Chris. Why should I spend more time with her?” Tobin mutters weakly.

“When she decides to go to Orlando she never mentions anything to me. She calls me her best friend but how can your best friend only know what you are planning to do after the news comes out.” The midfielder finishes wearily.

“That’s not my intention, Tobs.” Alex voice rang out from the front door.

“Sorry, Toby. We thought you hang out in Press’s room. We are not trying to eavesdrop or anything.” Kelley tries to explain when Tobin glares hard at them.

“Erm..maybe that’s a good idea. You two need to talk.” The forward suggests while at the same time making a move to leave the pair and follow Kelley’s back to her room as well. But before she can stand up, Tobin grabs a hold on her wrists tightly.

“No, Chris. I need you here. Can you wait?” The midfielder pleads.

Christen was torn between leaving the two best friend alone so they can talk and staying because her girlfriend need her. Looking at Alex’s sad face she just decides the next best thing.

“Hey. Come on. It’s just Alex. Plus I need to go get you some food, remember. I don’t want you to pass out later. It’s only going to be awhile, k?” Christen tries to reason with her sad girlfriend.

She waits until her girlfriend nods her head before slowly pulling her wrist away from the midfielder’s grasps. The longing faces Tobin throws at her make her think twice about her decision. But she knows her girlfriend will never be fully happy until she resolves her issue with Alex.

Both remain quiet until they heard the front door close. The tall forward sit on her own bed and facing her best friend determine to settle their issues.

“I’ve only going to give you 30 seconds to present your case.” The midfielder starts.

Alex raises her eyebrow. Oh wow since when Tobin use such a big word?

“Okay, let me explain. I have been thinking of making the move since the World Cup. I plan to tell you about it then I was thinking maybe we should all be focus to get the win first. Then we’ve won Tobin! So I thought okay, maybe I can tell you during the victory tour. While I was trying to find the courage to tell you, then Cheney blindside us about her retirement and on top of that Amy got pregnant. Believe me, Tobs. I tried so hard to tell you the truth but I know you are already feeling down about Cheney and Amy. Then I thought it’s better to tell you when everything calms down a bit. I tried to find the right time but the media got the news about my relocation before I can even tell you. No one else know about it. Even Ash.” Alex finishes her rant while trying to catch her breath.

“So you didn’t purposely hide things from me?” Tobin feels foolish and forlorn by the minute. Of course Alex will never intentionally hurt her.

“Is that why you didn’t like to hang out with me anymore? I thought that’s because you are busy trying to woo Press. Yes that’s your word not mine and you are forgiven by the way.” Alex replies slightly bemused.

Tobin feels the start of a blush creeping on her cheeks.

“I’m sorry I jump to conclusion, Al but about me and Chris. There’s something that you need to know. Erm..Chris and I..we..erm yes we are getting closer than before. But we are not like best friend or anything.” Tobin starts to explain.

“But I saw you guys just now. I meant you don’t usually do that unless you are close with them.” Alex asks again questioningly.

“Yeah..yeah..that’s what I’m trying to tell you. Erm… we are more like a ‘girlfriend’ rather than ‘gal pals’ you know what I mean?” The midfielder looks at her best friend sheepishly.

“Are you telling me that you guys are a thing now? Like a couple? Like me and Serv?” The forward asks again just to be sure she understand what her friend means.

“Yeah….just like you and Serv. But mostly like how Ash and Kriegs defines ‘couple’.” Tobin confirms timidly.

A dark cloud passed across the forward face. How can she miss this? First, she didn’t know that Tobin still not okay with her relocation. They seat together on the bus for god sake! And now Tobin is in relationship with Press? The last she heard was Tobin’s still failed attempt at trying to get her crush to notice her. When did this happen? She thought curiously.

“When did this happen?” Alex blurt out her what’s in her mind.

“Owh..hmm…actually...we hang out a lot since the World Cup camp and before that as well. One thing led to another. I asked her to be my girlfriend on her birthday and she said yes. We just like to keep it to ourselves you know. Just to be in the bubble a bit longer. You know how it is right?”

“So basically I’m the last person that you tell? Who else know about you two?” The forward chides her best friend. Now it seems to be her turn to be mad at Tobin.

“You are actually the 3rd person to know about us. Hope and her mom saw us when we are out on a dinner date. Apparently LA is not that big. She agrees not to tell anyone even Kelley. We even had to promise her to make sure Kelley didnt get mad at her when she knows about us.” Tobin explains further.

Ohohohoho…this is gold. Kelley will have a heart attack when she heard this. Tobin got game apparently. Everyone made a bet that the midfielder will only find the courage to ask Press to be her girlfriend during the Olympics. But not Kelley..no..the defender bet that her little Toby will get her girl by New Year’s Eve.

“Oh god…when is Press birthday?”

“December 29th. Why?” Tobin looks curiously at Alex.

She watches as her best friend screws her eyes shut and mumbling wearily. When her phone chimes in indicating new message, she ignores it while looking on curiously at the forward.

“Alex..what is so bad about the date?” Tobin getting more agitates when Alex continues to mumble under her breath.

“Did you by any chance get the idea to ask Press to be your girlfriend from Kelley? You know she got a bet going that you will do it by New Year’s eve?”

“Erm..yeah..because she told me about it.” Tobin confess sheepishly.

“So what did you get in return? Half of the winnings?” Alex asks.

“Yeah..then she said she give a hand in my plans. Plus she said how Chris will likely finalise her New Year resolution by then. You know how Chris is with her daily planner. Nothing can deviates her from that. Every little thing is schedule to the dot and I think her 1 year planner is worst. She’s like obseesive with her plans.”

“What? Is that what you think of me?” Alex and Tobin both turn to look at the front door in surprise.

Christen currently holding the food tray while looking at the pair with stormy eyes. How did the forward open the door without any sound while still holding the tray? Alex groans internally.

“Erm..no. No, Chris. I was just telling Alex that you agree to become my girlfriend on your birthday.” Tobin retort hoping that she can dig herself out from trouble.

“Don’t take me for a fool, Tobin Heath! I heard what you said just now loud and clear! You are telling Alex that I have obsessive compulsive disorder and my 1 year plan is the worst huh!” She smashes the food tray on the dresser and glares at her girlfriend.

“Erm….Press. No..it’s the truth..” Alex tries to defend her friend.

“Shut up, Alex! This is between me and Ms Casanova here! So whatever you said that time is just a lie huh? Just your big plan with Kelley so that you can share her win huh?” Christen fumes.

“You know what, why not we make another bet. Let’s bet how long I can stand here and look at you after I heard this..Ooops look at that, times up.”  Christen looks down at her watch and when her eyes snaps back up, Tobin can see the glimmering tears before the forward turns around and storms out of the room.

Alex panic. Oh god..oh god. This is not happening. Tobin will be devastated and sure enough the midfielder is muffling her frustrated yell behind her pillow.

“Tobin! What are you doing! Chase her you idiot! Don’t let her walk out like that!” Alex starts to pull the midfielder away from her bed.

“Come on! Oh god Tobin! Go get your girl! If you don’t I’ll kill you!” Alex shouts angrily.

“I have to do something! Kelley! We need Kelley!” Alex fumbles around looking for her phone and speed dial their best friend.

She was surprise when the Kelley’s ringtone sound directly outside their bedroom. The doors open before she can make a move.

“Surprise bitches!” Kelley shouts.

Press walks in behind her grinning. Alex looks at the pair with her mouth gapes open.

“What…Press..what..what..just now..” Alex starts to ramble.

Hearing Alex calling her girlfriend’s name, Tobin sits up and push the pillow away from her face. The look on her red face? Priceless. She didn’t know whether to cry in joy because her girlfriend is back or cry because her heart just break into tiny pieces. When Christen saw the midfielder’s shaking shoulder, she rush to her side and pull her into a hug just in time to hear the midfielder let out a sobs at her neck.

“Oh god..Tobin. Didn’t you get my text? I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry. We thought it will be funny and will ease the tension between you guys.” Christen pleads for forgiveness. She didn’t know what she was thinking for following Kelley’s prank.

“Wha…you text her? Hey..Tobin. I’m sorry, k buddy. Don’t be angry at Press. It’s all my idea. Blame me.” Looking at the sad pair Kelley feel remorse. She shouldn’t force Press to join her prank just now. She just thought that this two will still be bickering with each other.

“Maybe we should leave them alone, Kell. Come on.” After calming down from her shock, Alex pull the defender away from the room leaving the couple alone. Once they are outside, she slap the back of Kelley’s head.

“Hey..why you do that for?” The defender pouts. Alex ignores her and slaps the back of her head again.

“If you still need to ask, you deserves the second slap as well. Now because I don’t think that’s a good enough punishment, wait until I tell on you.” The forward threatens.

“Huh…who you gonna tell? They all didn’t know about Toby and Press.” Kelley replies back smugly.

“Oh..That’s where you are wrong, little one. Hope’s knew about them.” Alex smirks back.

“Wait…Hope knows? And she didn’t say anything? Then I’m the one that should be mad at her.” Kelley insists.

“You don’t have the right to be mad if Tobin and Press breaks up because of your stupid little prank.” The forwards replies back angrily. Kelley gulps. Shit.. I’m gonna die. After Hope save me from Alex she will kill me herself when she heard about this. She groans internally.

While in the room, Tobin still holds Christen tightly to her body. Even though her sobs has reduce to soft hiccup, she still doesn’t move from her current position. When she feels the forward tries to move away, she tighten her grip around her girlfriend body.

“Hey..hey I’m just trying get us to lie down so that we can be more comfortable okay?” Christen tries to soothe her girlfriend. She rubs her hand behind the midfielder’s back until she feels Tobin loosens her grips, then she slowly lower them both on the bed. She lies on her back while Tobin lays on top of her.

“I felt my heart break into tiny pieces and it still hurts now.” The midfielder murmurs after a while.

Christen feels bad. Even though her girlfriend can be such dramatic at times she don’t think this is one of them. Oh god she really feel bad for hurting her girlfriend this way.

“I’m sorry, baby. I never meant to hurt you. I really thought you are okay with it. I promise to make it up to you until I repair every little broken pieces. Just tell me what to do and I will do it okay.”

“Okay..” Tobin gives a soft reply.

“Now didn’t you get my text? Where’s your phone?” Tobin shakes her head and moves slightly and point to the dresser. The forward stretch to grab the phone and unlock it. She open Tobin inbox and open her latest text. She let Tobin read it silently.

_Hey…don’t be alarm. Kelley asks me to prank u and Alex. She asks me to pretend to be mad about something. But don’t worry it’s just an act okay. <insert hearteyes emojis here> _

“Do you really keyed in insert heart eyes emojis? You are so cheesy..Chris.” The midfielder murmurs.

“Oy..who’s the one that starts it first..so who’s the cheesier one now huh?” The forward teases back.

“Don’t care who but don’t scares me like that again, okay Chris? Promise me. I don’t think I can take it even if it’s just another prank.” Tobin said in serious, almost pleading tone.

“I promised. And I will not let Kelley talks me into anything again without telling you first.” The forward vowed back.

She can feel her girlfriend smiles on her shoulder after hearing that. They continues cuddling while Christen plays with Tobin’s phone. But their peaceful time was interrupted when Tobin’s stomach grumbles loudly.

“I’m still hungry. What did you bring me?” The midfielder sits up and look at the tray on the dresser.

“Oats. That’s the only one that’s left.” Christen replies, deadpan.

“Awwww…but I don’t like oats!” Tobin groans unhappily.

“Yeah..then you should eat your breakfast rather than storms out just now right?” Her girlfriend’s pouts appear as soon as she said that.

“But…but…you said you want to make it up to me. I want eggs and toasts, Chris…”

The forward just hums noncommittedly.

“Chrissss….I’m hungryyyy..” Tobin whines.

The forward rolls her eyes. She grab the tray and bring in onto the bed. When she pull away the napkin covering the food, there was a bowl of oat, a plate of assorted fruits and another plate with her girlfriend’s favorite.

“Yeay! You bring my favorites!” The midfielder smiles lopsidedly.

“Of course…the oat is actually for me, dummy.” Christen replies affectionately.

The midfielder grins excitedly before digging in. Tobin finished her breakfast just within ten minutes. Christen raised her eyebrows.

“You finished already?” Tobin just gave a small nod as an answer.

“Okay..so what’s Alex plan for you guys today?” Christen asks absentmindedly while looking down at her bowl. She didn’t notice her girlfriend’s downcast eyes.

“Why do I have to hang out with her still? We already talked about our issue and I’m okay with it. Are you trying to get rid of me or something?” The midfielder said in a weak voice, barely above a whisper.

Christen looks up to retort but the middy moves away to sit at the side of the bed, hunching her shoulder and stares down at the floor. Oh..she really has a lot to make up for..Christen sighed inwardly.

She put aside her breakfast and crawl near the moody midfielder. She reached for Tobin slim waists and pull her backwards slightly while moving her arms to the front hugging her from behind. She rest her chin on her girlfriend’s right shoulder before speaking up.

“Hey, you know that’s not true. You can hang out with me all the time. Whenever and wherever you want. Just say it and I’ll be there for you. I just thought that maybe you want to catch up with her alone. You guys didn’t hang out together lately right?”

“Will you join us if I want you to? I mean Alex knows about us already so we don’t have to hide from her anymore.” Christen paused a moment to think.

“Yes of course. I mean if you want me to. Oh god, I just remember that Alex has yet to give me her ‘don’t hurt my best friend’ speech.”

Tobin chuckles softly. Even though Alex can really be oblivious in her own world, but she is really protective of her friends. Especially the one she was close with.

Oh everyone heard the stories when Alex gave Hope her ‘don’t mess with my best friend speech’ after the couple told the team about their relationship. She really wished Hope was just kidding when she said she has to sit down for hours to hear Alex present her slides complete with color coded graphs and charts. The forward shudders when she thought about it.

“Hmm…can you give me a free pass for that? Like try to get her to cut her speech down or something. I can make it up to you in another way.” The forward tries to negotiate and to further help her case she rubs her hands up and down the midfielder arms lovingly.

“Nope.” The midfielder replies back grinning happily. She knows what her girlfriend tries to do. Oh ho ho..no way she will let her girl out of this easily.

“You can’t avoid her forever. Eventually you will have to sit down for the presentation. Hope said it’s not too bad considering that Kelley stayed with her as well. I mean Kelley manage to distract Hope before she can wring Alex’s neck. That’s good news right?” Tobin continues while smirking at her worried girlfriend.

“So you’ll stay with me for the presentation then?” Christen asks. Her voice hopeful.

“Nope….” The midfielder replies again.

“Maybe I can invite her for a coffee. She will not bring her slides there right? But with Alex we will never knows…” The forward rambles on.

Slightly bemused, Tobin turn around and watches her girlfriend face with rapt attention.

“You are really cute when you are all flustered like this.” Tobin suddenly voice out.

Christen narrow her eyes giving a hard glares at her now grinning girlfriend.

“Baby, please…I’m serious. You need to help me distract Alex so I can get out from the speech.” The forward pleads.

“Okay..you know what..I will do that under one condition.” Tobin relents.

Christen just raised her eyebrows expectantly. The midfielder didn’t say anything. She just tap her lips with her index finger. The forward grinned before leaning closer and place a kiss on her girlfriend’s lips. When she went to pull back, she feel Tobin’s hand move to the back of her head, and another around her back pulling her closer.

“Not yet..” Tobin whispers softly. After getting her fill, Tobin moves back and watches her girlfriends eyes fluttered open slowly.

“I’m that good huh?” Tobin grins proudly.

Christen didn’t say anything. She just moves her fingers over her girlfriend’s jaw lovingly.

“Yeah you are that good. That’s why I love you.” Christen replies back.

Brown eyes widen. Green eyes too. Oh god she didn’t mean to blurt it out like that. Yeah of course they agreed to be in a relationship but she knows how skittish Tobin can be about the four letter word. She pray to God that the ground can open up and swallow her whole at this very minute.

“Hey..look at me.” Tobin lift Christen’s chin slightly.

“I love you too.” The midfielder smiles as she looks directly into Christen’s eyes.

The forward can’t stop the smile spreading on her face. She felt giddy with happiness. She jumps into the middy’s lap and start kissing the midfielder face non-stop while Tobin laugh happily. They stumbles on the bed together, Tobin grabs Christen closer and kiss her again. This time around neither player pulled back as their kissing went into a full make out session.

And that’s how Alex found them an hour later.

“My eyes!!! Help my eyes!! Kelley! I need something to burn my eyes!” She shouts while running back out of the room.


	3. Hat trick

“You are cute.” 

“You are an idiot.” 

They both say at the same time. Christen really have a bad day at the training today. She hobbled slowly to her bed while Tobin follows closely from behind her holding both their bags. She put her right foot which wrapped with ice slowly on the bed. She flinch slightly when her foot accidently hit the side of the bed.

“It’s not a big deal, Chris. Dawn said you just need to rest and maybe you can train again tomorrow. Does it hurt?” Tobin asks. 

“What do you think?” Christen replied back testily.

Tobin knows it’s her fault that her girlfriend is this way but she doesn’t understand why this is such a big deal. It’s a common knowledge that she has a very competitive streak during their games even during the scrimmage. Her tackles apparently was too hard which is why now her girlfriend has a sprained ankle. Luckily for them it’s not too serious. Dawn just asked the forward to make sure she don’t put any extra pressures on her right foot for few hours and rest. 

“I’m sorry, Chris. You know how I get during the games. Do you need me to get you anything? I’ll be at your disposal today. Anything you want just say it.” 

Christen sighed. Yeah she know how her girlfriend is. She’s mad at herself right now because before the tackle even happen, her shot on goal is all over the place. She knows her performance is below par today. She just so frustrated with herself. She can’t even go for the afternoon practice today and she really need that! So she need to be mad at the next best thing, her girlfriend.

“You know what, maybe next time you can even aim for my left foot. So that I don’t even have to bother to go for training at all. It’s not like Jill is assessing my performance or anything.” The forward said angrily.

Tobin let the hurt she felt from the words slide off her. She knows her girlfriend just being frustrated and angry over her current predicament. She frowns, trying to figure out how to handle this. She plop herself on the bed, next to the forward.

“Chris, I’m really sorry. Don’t be mad. I didn’t do it intentionally you know.” The midfielder explains again.

“Yeah? How come I don’t see you tackle Alex like that? We both in the same team by the way. So because she’s your BFF you don’t touch her but then when it comes to me…you just go all out huh? Guess she’s more important to you than me.” Christen sees the slight hurt in her girlfriend’s eyes before the midfielder turn away. 

She know what she said doesn’t make any sense at all. She know how much Tobin cares about her but her emotions is too high right now and it overrides all common sense.

“I don’t know how many times I need to apologize anymore, Chris. You keep holding on to the anger and blame me. I don’t think I deserve this. I already said I’m sorry.” The midfielder pleads with a sad tone.

Christen feels slight pang of hurt in her hearts when she heard that. But her mom didn’t call her stubborn for nothing.

“If you don’t like it, you can just walk out the door. I’m not stopping you. Not like I can either with my disable foot and everything.” 

Tobin shakes her head before standing up from the bed.

“You sure about that?” The midfielder asks with the same tone again. 

Christen refuse to look back at the brown eyes that she knows boring down at her. When she remain quiet, Tobin sighed loudly and make her way to the door. When she hears the door close behind the midfielder, she let her tears fall down her cheeks. She know she’s being unreasonable right now but she really can’t help it. Slowly she slides her tired body down the bed and shut her eyes. Tobin’s sad face plays into her mind and she can’t stop the fresh tears running down her face. Eventually her weary body won and the forward fell asleep few minutes later.

Tobin make her way to her own room while her mind keep insisting that she is making a mistake. She shouldn’t just leave her girlfriend like this. But she ignores the voice and keep walking until she reach her front door. When she open the door she heard the noise from the television signaling her roommate presence.

“Hey..how’s Press? Is she okay?” Hope asks.

“Yeah..just a slight sprain. Dawn said just need to rest it for few hours then it will be okay.” Replied the midfielder glumly.

“Then what are you doing here? I mean shouldn’t you go take care of her?” The keeper asks curiously.

“We’ve got into a fight. She asks me to go so here I am.”

Hope raises her eyebrow. This is not like Tobin at all. Usually the midfielder will be all over her girlfriend when the practice is over. It’s like they are joint at the hips. Whenever you see Press you will see Tobin. It even come to the point that if they need to find her, the first place they will go will be the forward’s room. She will be there regardless of the time. Everyone said its adorable but of course not as adorable as her own girlfriend. Just as the thought passes her mind, the door open and Kelley walks in.

“Hey, Toby. What are you doing here? I thought Press need some TLCs today? Hey, babe.” The defender plops down beside Hope.

Hope raised her eyebrows again looking at Kelley who already splayed on the bed comfortably. 

“Oooopss…sorry.” Kelley said before getting up on her knees and place a chaste kiss on the keeper’s lips.

Tobin can’t help but smile looking at the two. The keeper demeanor totally change when Kelley is near her. This two has gone through a lot the past few years and Tobin really happy for her friend that they both got through it.

“Yo! Earth to Toby..” Kelley snap her fingers in front of Tobin’s face.

“So…why are you here again?” The defender repeats her earlier question.

“They had a fight, Kell. Apparently Press asks her to go.” Replied the keeper on her behalf.

“Hmm….you sure that’s what happen? That girl is a saint. I mean I hardly see her get mad on anything other than herself.” Kelley asks while looking directly at her best friend.

“Erm..she doesn’t really say the exact words but she never asks me to stay either!” Tobin defends herself.

“So you took the high road when life get tough huh?” Hope gives her input.

“Hey..we get on each other nerves before but not like this. She was downright mean to me. I don’t deserve that at all. I apologize to her so many times but she keep saying all this hurtful words to me. What do you want me to do?” Tobin insists.

“Tsk…tsk..tsk…so let me get this straight. First, she didn’t play too great today so she will be mad at herself. Then she got hurt because her girlfriend tackle her. So she will be mad at herself again because now she cannot join our second practice to improve her bad game. The said girlfriend maybe just take this lightly cause she’s cool like that and you are shocked that she didn’t asks you to stay? She has to feel sorry for you?” Kelley finishes.

Tobin look at her friend in shock. Her mouth slightly agape.

“Yeah..she’s brilliant.” Hope nods her head while smiling proudly at the defender.

“But..she’s the one that said hurtful things to me.” The midfielder replies back timidly. 

“So? You didn’t give her a chance to apologize right? Not with you walking out of the door?” Hope adds.

“Think back, Tobin. How many times has she drop everything for you when you needed her? And now when she need you the most you just walk away? Good move, Heath.” The keeper continues.

Tobin sighed resignedly. She realized she was at fault. Rather than trying to reason with her girlfriend, she walks away in the middle of an argument. She remembers back when she was sick few months ago. How her girlfriend attend to her every need without even a peep of complaint. She was not a best patient and her best friend can attest to that. Tobin suddenly stand up and rushes out the door. She need to make it up to her girlfriend.

“Aw…baby..you are getting better at this advice thing. You are getting soft.….” Kelly gushes at her keeper.

Hope just roll her eyes at the defender.

“Excuse me…I’m a bad ass keeper, there’s nothing soft about that.” The keeper replies adamantly.

“Yeah…you are my bad ass keeper. Now come here. We’ve only got like 20 minutes tops to make out before you need to get ready for your bad ass goalkeeping training.” The defender invites, wiggling her eyebrows. 

Kelley can see the desire burning in her girlfriend eyes when she said that. Oh she can’t wait for this, she internally cheered when the keeper start to crawl slowly towards her.

Hope rolls her eyes when she see Kelley’s eyes light up but continues her crawl till she was face to face with her smirking girlfriend. 

“Well, I will never say no for a chance to cope a feel.” She whispered back.

If she does more than that, well her girlfriend have more than enough time to recover before her own training start the keeper smirks to herself before leaning down kissing the defender’s lips.

While her roommate is putting on her ‘move’, Tobin in the meantime is walking back and forth in front of her girlfriend’s room. When the door opens, she make a move but Christen’s roommate pushes her back outside.

“Hey Tobin, sorry for this. She’s asleep at the moment maybe you can let her rest.” Ali starts. 

Tobin look at her teammate in shock. 

“She cried herself to sleep, Tobin. I can still see the tear tracks. What did you do now? I mean the girl literally sat down patiently for 2 hours for Alex's presentation on her ‘don’t mess with my friend’ speech. She took notes for god sake. That’s how much she loves you. I mean I don’t have any speech for you but I can be really mean if I want to be.” The defender said while trying to appear to look fierce.

She failed of course. But Tobin doesn’t have the heart to tell the defender. 

“That’s why I’m here Kriegs. I want to make it right. I want to apologize.” The midfielder explains.

Ali release a big sigh of relief. Lucky for Tobin I don’t have to show her the Krieger’s wrath, she thought.

“Okay..I’ll go hang out at Ash’s then. Let me just get my training gears and I will leave you guys alone. Make sure you make it right. If not, I will hunt you down.” Ali threaten softly.

After Ali left, Tobin walks closer to the sleeping forward. She kneels down beside the bed and her heart leap to her throat when she sees the tear tracks running down her girlfriend’s face. Oh god what has she done. She slowly wipe the tear tracks away while looking for any sign of consciousness. When she saw her girlfriend’s eyelids moves signaling her waking state, Tobin lean closer and place a soft kiss to her girlfriend’s temple. 

“Hey..” She whispers once she see the green eyes flutters open.

“Hey…” The forward replies back.

“I’m sorry…” Tobin starts.

“I’m sorry, too. About what I said earlier...” 

“No..It's not your fault. I should have realises that you are not really mad at me..I understand now. We are okay, right?” The midfielder asks hesitantly.

The forward nods her head and pat the space beside her. Tobin ignores it at the moment. She hasn’t finishes groveling yet. Kelley’s right. Her girlfriend is a saint. She just have to come back and apologize and her girlfriend will forgives her immediately. 

“I’m really sorry, Chris. Is there…anyway I can make it up to you?”

From the determine look on Tobin’s face she knows her girlfriend will not take no for an answer. So she push herself up while the midfielder eyes her expectantly.

“Help me to the bathroom. I need to shower and you need to help reapply the bandage.” 

Tobin’s eyes lit up when she heard that. 

“And no….you will not join me in the shower. You need to go for a practice soon and I don’t want you to be late.” Christen continues.

The midfielder’s pout comes out. “But that’s like at 3 p.m., we have enough time and you can fell down in the shower. It’s so slippery there. I think I need to be there to keep an eye on you. Just in case.” Tobin plead her case.

Christen put her hand on the middy’s shoulder to push herself up. She hobble slowly to the bathroom. She looks back and gloats. “See….I can walk here myself, thank you very much.”

She spoke too soon. When she turn back around to reach the bathroom door, her foot caught one of the her shoes, she slips on the tiles and starts falling face down to the floor. Tobin with her quick reflex, run ahead and catch her before she can reach the floor. 

“Baby! Are you okay? Oh god tell me where it hurts? Is your foot okay?” Tobin asks repeatedly, while patting her girlfriend all over checking for any new injury. 

“No..no I’m okay. Just a little slip that’s all.” Christen tries to calm down her girlfriend.

The midfielder then stands up and offers her hand. 

“Now can you don’t be so stubborn and let me help you.” Tobin said seriously. 

Oops….Christen feels the change in the atmosphere. When her girlfriend become serious like this it means she was really perturbed by what happen just now. Without question, the forward take the hand that her girlfriend gallantly offers. She let herself slowly being pull back to a standing position while Tobin held to her waist tightly. 

The middy remain quiet while opening the bathroom door and stepping aside to give her room to pass. Christen grin at Tobin attempts to be chivalrous. She moves closer and peck her girlfriend on the lips.

“Thank you for catching me…But maybe you should join me? You see what happen just now. I mean what if I slip again? I need my girl to keep an eye on me right? Pretty please….” She took Tobin’s hand and squeezed them lovingly while pleading softly.

Slowly a smile pulls at the midfielder’s lips before lifting their hands and placing a kiss on Christen’s knuckles. 

“Okay…if you insists.” Tobin shrugs her shoulder nonchalantly but the forward can see the relief in her girlfriend’s eyes.

40 minutes later

Christen moaned softly while trying hard to hold herself up against the wall. Currently Tobin’s left arm is wrapping around her waist tightly from behind helping to hold her upright while her right hand busy sliding her two slick fingers into her girlfriend entrance.

“You want me to stop?” Tobin whispers in her ear while thrusting her fingers in and out of the forward.

Christen shakes her head repeatedly. 

“I want to hear the words, Chris.” When the forward feels her girlfriend’s hand start to slow its trusts, she gasps aloud.

“Baby..no please…don’t stop please…oh god..Please..don’t” 

Tobin picked up the pace again and start to trust her fingers in and out harder and harder until Christen arched up her body pulling her fingers deeper. She holds on her girlfriend tightly while sucking and biting hard on the forward’s neck. Running her thumb over a hard swollen clit, she slammed once, twice and finally a third time as she feel the forward let go and the orgasm crashes over her.

Christen body goes limp. The third orgasm really took her breath away. She really have no energy to pull herself up anymore. When Tobin feels the sudden weight she just bend down and pick her girlfriend bridal style out of the shower. She sit her down on the edge of her bed while toweling her dry. 

Tobin then help dresses Christen up in her favorite shirt and shorts. The midfielder let her girlfriend lay back on the bed comfortably before getting dress in her own gear. She then continues wrapping a new bandage around the forward’s sprained ankle. Once done, she pulls up the comforter and tuck her sleepy girlfriend.

She bend down placing a soft kiss on Christen’s forehead. 

“I love you. Sleep tight. I’ll come back and check on you after the training, okay.” She whispered lovingly. 

Christen just responses back with a smile and small nod before drifting off into sleep again.

Few hours later, Tobin make her way eagerly to her girlfriend’s room. After begging Ali to switch room with her for the night, she quickly made her way back to her room to shower and change before rushing back out. Imagine the defender’s face when she open her door and sees Tobin’s wide smiling face.

“How did you? I mean I just arrives here?” The defender mumbles out.

Staring at the midfielder’s eager face, Ali just sigh and calls out.

“Press! Your girlfriend is here. I think I just go shower in Ash’s room then. Lucky she’s rooming with HAO.”

She walks out after taking out her change of clothes. 

“Bye, lovebirds! Don’t do anything on my bed! I’m gonna need to sleep on it tomorrow.” She reminds the pair.

Christen looks up from the book that she was reading to regard her girlfriend. Tobin walks in smiling happily and continue plopping herself on the bed beside her girlfriend.

“Hey, baby…” The midfielder greets.

“Hey..how’s the training?” 

“Normal..nothing special.” Tobin shrugs her shoulder nonchalantly but her wide grin remain on her face.

“Really? Then what’s with the wide grin on your face then? Does it have anything to do with a hat trick Ali said you got today?” The forward teases.

“Maybe I’m excited to see you. Ever think about that? But yeah…I scored 3 goals today! And it’s a beauty.” Tobin said excitedly.

“Wow! I’m so proud of you!” The forward leans in and place a kiss on Tobin’s still smiling lips.

“Okay…so shouldn’t you be out celebrating with the rest? I know we have the rest of the evening off right? I don’t mind. I can catch up on my readings.” 

“Yeah but I want to celebrate with you. I mean they all will just go out for a drink later and that’s not what I want to do right now.” Tobin admits and smirk happily.

Christen blinks a few times, replaying her girlfriend’s words. She blushes red when she get the meaning behind it. 

“I mean I give it to you three times today and then I got a hat trick! Imagine the coincidence? So now maybe you want to return the favor? To celebrate my hat tricks I mean.” Tobin nudged her girlfriend’s shoulder playfully.

“I beg your pardon? Are we keeping tab or something? What if I don’t want to do anything tonight hmm?” Christen raises her eyebrows.

“Aw…baby…you know I don’t mean that! I’m just..just..that I won.. nevermind then.” Tobin replied glumly.

Wait for it…wait for it..3..2..1..there…that’s the pouting lips she loves so much. Christen grins to herself. Oh god her girlfriend is really adorable. She pretend to be engross in her book again just to get a rise from her girlfriend and sure enough Tobin interrupts her, nudging her again to get her attention. 

“Okay. But I want my snuggle buddy for a replacement then. Can we snuggles then?” Tobin asks in a childlike manner.

She nods her head and put aside her books. When she open her arms she smile as Tobin’s eyes lit up. The midfielder moves closer and hug her girlfriend tight while resting her head near her girlfriend’s neck. Christen picks up her book again and continue reading from where she left off since her girlfriend walks in.

Tobin take a deep breath to get a whiff of Christen’s perfume. Her girlfriend like to spray a touch of it near her neck. It’s a combination of lavender and rosemary and it bring a sense of peace and comfort in her. 

“Are you sniffing me?” Christen stops reading and asks playfully.

“Yeah…I just miss you so much during the training today.” Tobin confesses sheepishly.

Aww…Can you fall more in love with the person that you are already in love with? Apparently if that person is Tobin, yes she can. She lifts a hand to cup the midfielder’s chin and turn her slightly.

“You, Tobin Heath, are the most adorable girlfriend that I could have asks for. Now, give me a kiss.” Christen demands.

“Ooooh..so bossy. I love it.” Tobin smiles and lean closer and move her lips over Christen’s.

“Mmmm…and I love you. Now can you be a good girlfriend and let me finish reading this chapter. After that, I’m all yours okay?” 

“Okay.” Tobin nods, her head resting back near the crook of her girlfriend’s neck.

But of course her girlfriend’s lovely smell distracts her again. She moves closer and start sniffing again. This time around she start to playfully bite and lick the nearest skin she can reach and before long she can hears the moans coming out from the forward’s mouth.

“That’s not helping.” Christen gasps out.

Tobin slowly pulls her girlfriend down onto the bed and start to attack Christen's neck to her heart content. She alternate between bites and licks. When she pulls back up she saw the glazed look on her girlfriend’s eyes and the dark bruise starting to form on her neck. MINE. She thought while smirking to herself. Oh but she can’t hide the smirk fast enough.

Christen saw it and she knows she will have to wear a turtleneck tomorrow. Oh she gonna make this even then. She pulls down the smirking midfielder and kisses her hard, teasing her tongue around the soft lips and seeking entrance. Tobin opens her mouth and let her in, swirling her tongue around fighting for dominance. 

She gasps when she was suddenly turned around, laid on her back and looking up at the now smirking forward. Before she can say anything, Christen move down her neck and start nipping at the midfielder’s neck. Tobin arched her neck giving her girlfriend more access.

“Oh..god..yes baby..I..we..” Tobin moans softly.

“Shhhh…..just lay back..let me take care of you tonight..” Christen replies back softly.

“Put your hand above your head.” She further instructs.  
Tobin stretch her arms out and clasps her hands together. Christen leans down again to capture the midfielder’s lips while trailing her fingers over Tobin’s stomach until she reach the edge of her shorts. When the fingers moves further under the shorts and stop between her legs, Tobin lost all her trail of thoughts. 

The next morning, when Kelley teasingly asks her how she celebrate her hat trick with her girlfriend, she just shrugs her shoulder and pulls down her turtle necks showing the love bites Christen left the night before. She doesn’t think her girlfriend will approve if she took off her shirt and show Kelley the rest of the ‘love bite’ that she has on her body. Especially, showing them how her girlfriend creatively leaves it to make it look like her initial, CP.


	4. Smitten Tobin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shorter version from Tobin POV - before they are an item

Tobin stares at the laughing forward standing few feet in front of her. She smiles when something Whit said made the Christen laugh harder. 

“Are you even listening to me Tobin? Hey!” Alex snap her fingers. 

“Leave it Al, she's too gone already. Let’s go.” Kelley pulled Alex away from the midfielder who keep staring dreamily at the forward. 

When Christen turn to look back and their eyes met, Tobin quickly stoop down to pick her gear to cover her obvious staring. 

When she stood back up Christen already walking towards the locker with Whit. "Shit.." Tobin slow jog towards the pair to catch up. 

“Erm…Hey Chris.” 

“Hey Tobin!” Christen greets back smiling happily. 

She loves it when Christen smile at her like that. It literally brighten up her face altogether. Tobin also noticed how Christen slow down her pace to match hers. 

“So..beep test sucks huh?” She starts. 

“Well if you must know I like beep test.” Christen replied back still smiling. 

“Owh yeah..I like it too..just messing with you there.” Christen let out a small chuckle. 

“I know. For someone who doesn’t like beep test so much your record today shows differently. Congrats for beating Kelley’s record by the way.” 

Tobin can feel her cheek get warm signaling her blush from the compliment. 

“You are not so bad yourself. So..erm what’s your plan this afternoon?” 

“Nothing much. Maybe read some book or join Whit and Meg for some card games I guess.” Christen just shrugs off her shoulder. 

“So you want to go with me and Kelley to scout gift for Alex?” Tobin asks eagerly. 

“Hmm..Sorry, Tobin. I’m a bit tired from the beep test. Maybe you should just go with Kelley. She totally can help you out more. I may end up choosing something that Alex won’t like.” 

“Well you can still totally join us? I’m sure it’s more exciting than playing some card games with Whit and Meg. Come on.” Tobin urged the forward. 

“I'll think about it, okay?” Christen said non-committedly. 

“Okay just text me. We plan to go around 2 and maybe grab some lunch first.” 

“Yeah okay.” 

They both walked into the locker room and go separately to their assigned locker. 

Tobin stares jealously as Christen walk to Ali and started to converse with her animatedly. Oh she really will give anything to be at the defender's place right now. She hardly had any conversation with the forward and the few times they even chat with each other is only on the field and she knew it was all her fault. 

Whenever she was within the forward's presence, she felt a sudden pull on heartstring. Something that she never felt before. To avoid becoming too creepy, she distance herself further. But after few months of doing so without any change in her feeling, she just thought maybe it’s time she do something about it. 

She told Kelley about her feeling for the forward. After Kelley gave her the 3rd degree and made her swear to never hurt her Stanford alumni (she threaten to sic Hope on her if she does), the defender gave her approval. 

She was really surprise that Christen even spare her a glance today given the fact that they hardly talk to each other before. Suddenly she felt a nudge on her shoulder. 

“Please stop staring at my girl Toby. I know Ali’s pretty but please stop staring. I really don’t want to hurt you.” Ashlyn said from behind her. 

Tobin doesn’t know whether Ashlyn is serious or just joking around. But knowing Ash's prone to jealousy she choose to turn away from the pair and make her way into the shower stall. 

In her rush, she didn’t notice the green eyes staring at her retreating form from across the room.


	5. Protective Tobin

“Where's your jacket." Tobin asks. 

"I don’t bring mine remember, you know that. It doesn’t match my outfit and it’s not even cold out.” 

“I can see the goosebumps on your arms, Chris. Don’t tell me you are not cold.” 

“No I’m not. It’s just a small breeze. Plus I’m feeling a bit too drunk to care actually.” 

Just after she said that, Christen stumbles a little bit when her foot stuck on the crack in the pavement. Tobin rush toward her and quickly grasped the forward by her arms pulling her back up. She wrap her other arm around Christen’s waist holding her tight to her body and slowly guide her back toward the hotel. 

Tobin feel the forward resists at first but she held on tight. 

“Nooo...I want to follow Kelley, Tobin.” 

“Nope, you had enough." 

"But they all gonna hop to another bar.” Christen whines. 

“I don’t want to be a party pooper...” The forward continues.

“No you can’t have another drink anymore, Chris. You are already drunk. You’ll thank me tomorrow.”

“But...Kelley said whoever go back early tonight is a party pooper and I don’t want to be one.” Christen pouts. 

“I'll tell her not to call you that.” Tobin promise.

Suddenly the forward stop walking and turn to face her. She squish Tobin cheeks with both of her palms. 

“Awww…you do that for me?” Christen said dreamily.

Tobin doesn’t reply, she's unable to actually with her face being squish like that so she just nods her head. 

“You are the best roommate ever!” 

Christen jumps toward her and circles her arm around Tobin’s shoulder for a hug and place a small kiss on her cheek. 

Tobin hug her back. Her hands rubs the forward's back comfortingly when a gust of wind blown pass them and she can feel Christen shudder in her arms. 

“Are you cold?” 

“Nope.” Christen answer back softly from the corner of her neck. 

Tobin rolled her eyes at the stubborn forward. 

“Well I’m actually feeling a little bit warm.” The midfielder states.

Christen leaned back. “You are?” 

“Yeap. So I need to take off my jacket.” 

“Okay.” Christen take a few steps to the side to let Tobin take off her jacket. 

Christen tries to walk back towards the bar but before she can reach the door, Tobin guide her back around.

“Nope. We are going back.”

She put her arms around Christen’s back indirectly putting her jacket onto the forward shoulder warming her. 

“Come on let’s go. I don’t want you to fall sick.” 

"But I’m not gonna get sick I’m just a little bit tipsy. How come you’re not?” 

Tobin just shrug her shoulder nonchalantly. “Cause I have higher tolerance than you.” 

“Hmm…..true.”

She continue guiding the forward beside her while thinking back to what happen in the bar earlier. She has been keeping close eye on the forward. Making sure she’s always within a few feet of Christen knowing that she can be at her roommate's side in an instance if she needed her. 

She didn’t say anything when Kelley asked Christen to take shots after shots with her. But when the pair started to dance in the middle of the dance floor, she get a little bit antsy. Usually, there will be few of the guys that’s brave enough to approach them and just as the thought passed, she saw a few of them approaching the pair already. She was just deciding on how to best get to the dancing pair when suddenly a voice pipe up beside her. 

“Let’s go get them.” Hope said more like instruct actually. 

The keeper made the first move to pull Kelley out of the dance floor while Tobin follow seconds later holding on to the forward waist and turn her around while apologizing politely to the guys saying they need to go back already.

“Hey…Tobin. Wanna dance?” 

“No..I just want to get some air. Wanna walk with me?” She invites the smiling forward.

“Okay.” 

And that’s how they find themselves outside. When they reach the hotel room, Tobin guide the forward to her bed. 

“You need help to change your clothes, Chris?" Christen just shook her head. 

Tobin goes to the bathroom to change. She take her time while washing her face and brushing her teeth knowing her roommate need the extra time to change her clothes. 

By the time she came out from the bathroom, Christen already laid down with her eyes closed, her dress and the jacket toss at the side of her bed. Tobin put a glass of water and bottle of painkiller at her bedside. 

Then she take the dress off the floor and fold it and drape her jacket on the back of the chair. She switch off the light and lay down on her bed waiting for the sleep to come. Few minutes later, she heard the rustles of sheet beside her and a small voice pipe out. 

“Thank you for looking out after me, Tobin.” Christen whispers out to the room.

“No problem, Chris. That's what I'm here for.”

“Thanks for the jacket too. I was cold.” The forward further admits.

“I know.” Tobin replies back cheekily.

“Goodnight, Tobin.”

“Goodnight, Chris.” 

In the dark, both players didn’t notice the smiling face painting on both of their face before letting the sleep claim them.


	6. Attentive Tobin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cont from protective Tobin

Tobin woke up when her alarm rang out not surprised to see an empty bed in front of her. Usually she didn’t even opened her eyes before 8 in the morning when they have a day off. But after their night out last night, she can’t help but feel worried about her roommate, hence the reason why she set the alarm this morning. Just her luck that her roommate is an early riser. She saw a small note Christen left under the empty glass on the bedside table.

_Went down for much needed coffee. Come join me if you are up._

Tobin smile at the simple message and quickly finished her morning routine to join her roommate for breakfast. When she reached the dining hall she was surprised to see only few of her teammates were there.

Other than Christen, she saw Hope, Moe and Mal whom are playing with their phone occupying the same table. It taken her a few seconds to realise the slump figure on the other side of the keeper is Kelley.

Meanwhile, Carli and Becky was having a serious conversation with each other in another table. Better avoid that, Tobin thought to herself before making her way to her roommate whose busy enjoying her coffee to notice her.

“Good morning. How's everyone this fine day?” Tobin greets loudly.

Hope look up questioningly from her phone before ignoring her again. Mal and Moe was too engrossed with their phone to notice her and Kelley still asleep on the table. The only response she got was the slight flinch from the forward beside her.

“Stop talking so loud.” She pleads.

“Hungover huh?” Christen just nods her head.

Tobin smiles at the slight pout on the forward face.

“I’m never gonna drink with Kelley again.”

“Hey..it’s not my fault you get easily drunk with just a few shots.” Kelley suddenly perk up from the table.

Hope turned to look at the defender. “So you awake?” She questioned.

Kelley didn’t response. She just went back to rest her head on the table and closed her eyes. Hope rolled her eyes but she run her hand up and down Kelley’s back comforting her. Ignoring those two, Tobin lean closer and put her arm on the forward’s chair.

“You want to eat something?” She whispered it this time.

Christen just shook her head. “Don’t think I can take any food right now.”

“Come on. You need to eat something. I’ll get your favorite oat. You want fruits too right?” Tobin urged.

Christen nodded again. Tobin quickly made her way to the buffet table to get her roommate’s breakfast. She made a few rounds in between and before long the table was served with a bowl of oats and two plate of mix fruits for Christen, a plate full with eggs and toast for herself, two black coffees and two orange juices.

The smell of food woke Kelley up again. Her eyes widen up excitedly when she saw the wide range of breakfast on their table. She started to reach out for the plate of fruits but her hands was slapped away.

“Get your own Kelley. That’s for Chris.” Tobin scolded the defender.

“Aww...but Press not gonna eat all that. She’s too hungover. So let me have some.”

“Nope. She need to eat. Even if she don’t want to.”

“Can you both please stop talking like I’m not here?” Christen spoke up irritably.

Tobin smile apologetically. “Sorry..here have some oat.” She pushed the bowl nearer to Christen.

After Christen took a spoonful, she grimaced. She tried to push the bowl away but Tobin put a stop to it.

“Nuh..uh..Let it settled down first. Then try again. You need to fill your empty stomach. It will help lessen your headache.”

Few minutes later, the forward tried again and true to Tobin’s word earlier, now her hunger started to kick in.

“Thanks, Tobin. Lucky I have you.” Christen replied back happily.

“No need to thank me. I know you cannot resists your favorite oat.” Tobin teased back slightly pleased that her effort didn’t go to waste.

Kelley watched the interactions between her friends with rapt attention. Her staring however interrupted by the growl coming from her own stomach.

“Ugh…guys let me share some of that fruits. Press, you can spare one can you?” She pleaded.

She’s not ashamed to beg from her teammate as the thought of even standing up and walking to get her own breakfast made her feel nauseous. She raised her eyebrows when both ignores her plead while continue finishing their breakfast.

“Hope, can you tell them to let me have some.” The keeper just shrug her shoulder.

“Uughhh...I don’t think I can take my own food cause it’s too far away. So I’m just gonna have to wait here till my hungover passed.” Kelley sigh dramatically.

Moe and Mal stand up when they heard that but before Kelley can thank them for helping her, both rushed off towards the door saying something about a prank.

“Oh…how to feel that young again..if only I’m not dying here.” She let out another big sigh and slump back on the table.

Tobin and Christen looks on amusedly as Hope switched off her phone, give a hard glare at the defender before she rose up and made her way to the buffet table while mumbling something under her breath.

“Well played, Kelley, well played.” Tobin slowly clapped her hands.

“Heh…don’t let her glare fool you. Hope is just a softy.” Kelley replied back smugly.

“Don’t be too smug. Turn around Kelley.” Christen instructed.

“Waaaaattt..What’s she doing there?” They watched as the keeper take a sit beside her best friend.

“I think maybe she just want to have her breakfast at a grown up table?” Tobin stated.

“I’m a grown up.” Kelley insisted.

“Not from my point of view. You didn’t act like it.” Christen added.

Kelley grunted unhappily. “Fine…” She pushed herself up to stand and slowly walked to the keeper.

Christen watched as Kelley stand beside the keeper shuffling her feet. The defender said something that’s too far to be heard but before long the keeper pushed her chair from the table and Kelley placed herself happily on her lap. She rest her head on the keeper’s shoulder while stealing some food from Hope’s plate. Huh…maybe the keeper is really a softie when it comes to Kelley, Christen thought.

“You need anything else, Chris?” Tobin question pulled her attention away from the pair.

“No. I don’t think I can take another bite. I think I want to go back to the room.” Christen stood up.

“Okay..let me just pass this to Kelley, then.” Tobin bring the other plate with fruits to Kelley.

“Here, you can have this. Chris don’t want to eat it anymore.”

“Oh…so now what made you think….” Tobin doesn’t hear the rest. She rushed out to follow her roommate.

“Hey…wait for me.” The midfielder shouts out.

“Sorry. My head starts to throb again. I just want to get to the room.” Christen explained sheepishly.

“Okay, come on. We can just hang out in the room today.” She cradle the forward’s waist and guide her into the elevator.

She didn’t let up her hold until they reached the room.

“You don’t have to babysit me, you know. I just need to take the painkiller and I will be fine.” Christen proceed to do just that before leaning back against the headboard.

“Nah…I have no plan whatsoever. So I might as well hang out here.” Tobin replied while switching on the television. From the corner of her eyes, she can’t help but noticed Christen slight wince again which Tobin suspect due to her returning headache.

“In future, please stop me from getting drunk ever again. I’m totally not build up for this.” She groaned out while massaging her temple and at the same time confirming Tobin’s suspicion.

Tobin doesn’t think about it, she just take her pillow, made her way to Christen’s bed and sit beside her.

“Come here. Lay down.” Tobin put the pillow on her lap and opened her arms invitingly.

When Christen hesitates, the midfielder persuade her again. “Come on. You trust me, right?”

The forward nodded her head and without saying anything further she lowered herself and lay her head down on the pillow. She can’t help the moans that come out from her mouth when Tobin started to massage her temple. Christen closed her eyes and before long she succumbed to her sleep.

Tobin stop her movement once she saw the forward’s peaceful face. She leaned down to place a small kiss on top of Christen’s head and smile when she heard the soft snore coming from her. She softly remove her body from under the pillow and slowly lay down beside the forward cradling her close. Few minutes later, Tobin too fell into a deep sleep.

When both came down for lunch few hours later, Tobin doesn’t say anything on the fact that after they both woke up from their nap, they continue snuggled closely while watching the TV shows and only made a move to detangled themselves when Kelley knocked hard on their door half an hour later.

Christen also never said anything when later in the evening, Tobin slipped into her bed and cuddle her close the whole night.


	7. Tobin is an idiot..

“Why are you holding your jacket?”

“Huh?”

Ashlyn repeated her question.

“Why are you just holding your jacket?”

“I’m not that cold.”

“Well, why did you even bring it?” Ashlyn queried the midfielder again.

She know how shirt and jeans is Tobin go to attire whenever they went out. But she noticed that her friend recently always bring a jacket or a hoodie holding it in her arms hardly ever wear it. They were trailing behind the rest of their teammates on their way back to the hotel after the team's dinner. So she thought this was the best time to get the answer for her friend’s puzzling behavior.

Tobin doesn’t answered. She was busy staring at Christen’s figure ahead of her happily joking and laughing about something that Ali’s said. The forward is wearing her favorite short dress that show off her long smooth legs. Well, unknown to her teammates, its Tobin favorite dress too as it really accentuates Christen’s figure beautifully.

She was brought back to present when she saw the forward start to wrap her arms around herself. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that universal sign.

Tobin walked faster to catch up with the pair and offered her jacket. “Here take this.”

Christen smiles gratefully when Tobin drape the jacket around her shoulder.

“Thanks.” She said and continue her conversation with the defender never missing a beat.

“Hmm..okay. Now I get it. You gotta take care of your girl.” Ashlyn said when Tobin fell back into steps beside her.

Tobin shrugged off her shoulder again.

“It’s not too weird right?” Tobin asked suddenly.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean does it seem weird that I want to take care of her? Like when she's cold I want to make sure she’s warm; when she’s sad I want to be the one she turned to and when she’s happy I want to be the cause of that?”

Ashlyn eyes widen at the heartfelt confession coming from the midfielder. Oh god…Tobin really didn’t know. Maybe I should give her a hint or something. The keeper thought to herself.

“Erm..Tobs, I don’t think that’s weird at all.”

“You don’t?”

“Nope. That’s how I feel about Ali.”

“Huh..but Chris and I…we are not...we’re just friend.” Tobin stammered back.

“You sure you guys are just friend?” Tobin nodded her head.

“Ok let me ask you this. Did you guys ever slept together?” Tobin eyes widen when she heard the question.

“Of course not!” She replied back vehemently.

Christen stop walking and turn back around when she heard Tobin’s distressed voice. She raised her eyebrows questioningly. Tobin just gave a small smile and shook her head signaling that it’s nothing. The forward nods, turned back around and continue walking ahead.

Wow! They can even communicate without saying a word? Ashlyn is now more determined to help her friend sees what’s clearly in front of her.

“Relax…Don’t get your panties in a bunch. What I meant is that have you guys slept on the same bed together?”

Tobin blushed and just nod her head. “Yeah, sometimes. But that’s nothing new, I do that all the time with you guys.”

“Hmm..Oookay…so let me get this straight. About what you said earlier, do you feel the same about Alex?”

Tobin shakes her head. “What? Are you crazy..its Alex!”

“Yeah but Alex is your friend too. I mean she's your bff. Did you see the differences here?”

“I guess.”

“Well my friend, I’m sorry to say this to you but both of you are not just friend.” Ashlyn enlightened her friend.

“No really we are.” Tobin insisted.

“Tobin…really.... either you continue whatever it is you guys doing without labelling it or you can just come clean with her and asked her out. And don’t wait too long caused I know for a fact that Press got asked for a date already. She may decide to accept it if you wait long enough.”

“Wait are you telling me that someone asked her out? Who? Is it someone in the team? How come she didn’t tell me?” Tobin asked agitatedly.

“Don’t worry about it. She told Ali that she was not interested. Maybe she’s just waiting for the right person to ask.” The keeper hinted.

“I guess so.” Tobin slumped her shoulders sadly.

Ash rolled her eyes when the midfielder didn’t get the hint at all. “Oh god I’m talking about you, idiot.”

“Did she said that?”

“She didn’t have to. You told me yourself you feel something for her and from what I can see from her reaction earlier, she’s totally into you too. We all know how introvert the girl is and she only chose to open up to you. Did you see her do that with anyone else?” Tobin shakes her head.

“Then that’s your answer. What you just need to do now is just woman up and go stake your claim before it’s too late.” The keeper advised.

When they neared the hotel lobby entrance, they heard a few commotion in front of it. Oh the soccer's fan here...

“Just think about what I said, okay? Now I need to save my princess.” Ashlyn remind her before grabbing Ali by the arm and walk alongside her into the hotel.

Tobin saw Alex, Hope, Syd and few of her teammates walked straight pass the entrance ignoring the waiting fans as they were prohibited from engaging with them. But for some, they do stay back to sign some autograph. That includes Christen. The forward once said that it’s the least they could do to appreciate the fans.

Tobin just smile and wave her hands when she passed the fan but chose to wait for Christen once she reached the hotel lobby. She watched as one guy appear from the side saying something that made Christen blushed red. The forward said something back in reply, gave a small shakes of her head while smiling politely and walked towards the lobby. When she saw Tobin, her smiles widen further.

“Hey..you don’t have to wait up for me. Unless you just want your jacket back?”

Christen made a move to remove it but Tobin just put her arm around the forward’s shoulder pulling her closer to her side.

“Nah..just want to walk you to your room. So…what did that guy say?”

“Hmm..nothing.” Christen shrugs off her shoulder.

“If it’s nothing why did you blush so hard just now?”

“He just asked me out for a coffee.”

Tobin heart stopped.

“Like a date?” Tobin asked curiously.

“Yep.”

“So what did you say to him?”

“That I’ll think about it? He's cute. Why not right?”

“Oh…if you really want to..I mean yeah why not. Just want to make sure you are being safe. That’s all.” Tobin replied back glumly.

Few seconds later Christen let out a small chuckle.

“You know I’m kidding right?” She nudged the gloomy midfielder.

When Tobin didn't reply she took Tobin’s right hand which dangle from her shoulder and linked their fingers together.

“Don’t worry. I’m only gonna went out with someone that you approve okay?” Tobin let out a relief smile.

“What if I don’t approve anyone at all?” The midfielder tease.

“Well then I’m gonna be single forever then.” The forward replied back cheekily.

“So you want to come in? Whit doesn’t mind.” Christen invited the midfielder when they reached her room.

Since the last camp, they were both hardly spend any time apart unless they needed too. Tobin even spend most of her time either enjoying her coffee with Christen or just lounging on the forward’s bed whenever they have the day off from training. Most of the night, they would even find themselves snuggled together on the bed sleeping together. But that apparently will not happen tonight.

“Erm..maybe I should stay in my room tonight. I don’t want Alex to get the wrong picture, you know. She already complained she hardly see me anymore. She’s not gonna be happy if she knows I just spend the last night of the camp hanging out here with you.” Tobin explained.

What she didn’t want the forward to know is that she also need to distance herself a little bit from her. She need the space to think about her earlier conversation with Ashlyn too.

“Oh..okay.” Christen replied back. Her smile dimmed a bit.

She turned to open her door, but turn back to face the midfielder at the last minute.

“Just don’t forget to text me when you reach your room.” Christen remind the midfielder.

Tobin rolled her eyes. “It’s not even that far.” She then continues to point her finger down the hallway.

“It’s like 5 doors away. I don’t think anything can happen to me within this few steps.” Tobin jokes.

The forward crease her eyebrows. “Fine. Whatever.” She just states blandly before going in and close the door on Tobin's face.

“Watt..what did I say?” She ran through her words in her mind while walking back to her room.

When she went into her room, Alex was lounging on her bed already changed into her pajamas.

“What’s up Toby? I didn’t expect to see you tonight.” Alex said in greeting.

Tobin just shrugged her shoulder. Her mind still busy thinking about what happen earlier. She pulled out her phone and quickly text Christen.

Tobin: Hey..I’ve reached my room. 

She waited for the forward’s reply but none came.

Tobin: Chris? U okay?

Fifteen minutes later, not a peep from the forward. Usually Christen will spend some time before sleep to read her book. So she really thinks the girl is purposely ignoring her text.

Tobin: Chris..R u mad a me? I’m sorry. Please say something

Still there’s no reply. So she resorts to texting the forward’s roommate.

Tobin: Is Chris asleep? 

Whit: Nope she's reading a book. Y?

Tobin: She didn’t reply my text. 

Whit: U want me to ask her?

Tobin let a few seconds passed before she texted Whit again.

Tobin: If you don’t mind. Can u?

Whit: Ok. 

Seconds ticked by before Whit’s reply her back.

Whit: She said she don’t feel like it. 

Tobin: Just like that?

Whit: Yeap. 

Tobin: R u sure?

Whit: Yes. That’s what she said.

Tobin: Is she mad at me?

Whit: Tobs, u r like few doors down myb u should just ask her face to face?

Tobin: But I don’t want Alex to get mad. 

Whit: About what?

Tobin: Me spending more time with Chris.

Whit: Did she tell u that?

Tobin: Erm.. no.

 Whit: Then where did u get the idea that she’ll get mad at u?

Tobin: I dunno. 

Whit: I think u need to ask her. 

Tobin: Who?

Whit: Alex dummy! Ask her whether she ok with you spending time with Chris. 

Tobin: Now?

Whit: Yes. 

“Al, do you mind if I go see Chris tonight?”

Alex turned from the tv shows to face her roommate. Her eyebrows rose.

“Why would I mind?”

“Well you complained that I’ve spend too much time with her?”

Alex shakes her head. “I didn’t say that.”

“You did.”

“I did not.”

“Yes you did.” Alex sighed.

“No I didn’t. I just told you that we hardly spend time together anymore and I miss our time together. So since we are roommate now I just thought it’s a perfect time for us to do something together. But if you want to spend time with your girlfriend I understand that too. I know the feeling. I felt the same way about Serv when we first met each other. We hardly able to leave each other side.”

“Erm..Al..me and Chris we are just friend.”

“No you’re not.”

“Yes we are.”

“No you’re not.”

“Yes we are.”

“Can we not start this again, Tobin. You hardly said a word to me since you came in to the room. Cause you’re busy texting with your girlfriend.”

“No I’m not.” She answered before Alex can continue.

“Really I’m not. I think she must be mad at me or something. She didn’t reply my text. I’m just texting Whit.

"Does it have anything to do with your question earlier?”

“I don’t think so. I just told her I need to spend more time with you tonight. That’s all.”

“Oh god, Tobs. You are an idiot.”

“What..no I’m not.”

“Yes you are. Stop, listen to me, please. You guys have been inseparable for the last few days and suddenly on our last day here you want to spend more time with me? After this we’ll be busy with our club for a few weeks if not months and you will not be seeing her until our next camp. You are making me look like a bad guy here.”

“No I didn’t.” Alex sighed again.

“Yes you do. You are telling her that I’m more important than her. That’s a big no in a relationship. Friends don’t trump over girlfriends.”

“But we are not…” Tobin tried to deny again.

“Oh god why is this so hard. Let me make it simple for you. Just imagine that tomorrow Press went out on a date with some cute guy. They were laughing and joking around while having a candlelight dinner. On their way back he put his arms around her, maybe leaving a small kiss on her cheek and they went back together to his house. She stayed the night and comeback with a hickey on her neck. What will you do in this situation?”

Tobin hand turns into a fists and a dark cloud pass on her face. The guy that asked Chris out earlier comes to mind.

“Well I’ll be damn if he even dare breathe near her! Oh…he thinks he can put his hand on her? I’ll break his little fingers first!” Tobin said loudly before storming out of the room.

Alex looks on shockingly at the retreating figure.

“Who's he? I thought it’s just an imagination?” She said aloud in the empty room.

Tobin stomped angrily towards Christen's room. She rang the bell a few time before Whit open the door. Looking at Tobin's stormy face she just shakes her head and slide out of the room.

“Nope I don’t want to know. I’ll just stay in your room tonight.”

Tobin walked into the room and glared unhappily at the figure lying on the bed. When Christen continue to ignore her, she rush to her, grab the book away from the forward’s hand and throw it across the other bed. Christen look up in shocked. She was really not expecting this. Tobin continues her pacing back and forth in front of her.

“You will not go out for a dinner with that guy! I will not let you! Don’t even think of letting him put his arms around you or even dare follow him home. If I see any mark on your neck I will kill him!” She rambled on angrily.

“Tobin, can you please calm down.” Tobin was getting worked up and it concerned her.

“Calm down! You can’t tell me to calm down! I’m not gonna calm down! Not when he plans to put his move on you tomorrow. You will not go out with him. You hear me?”  Tobin raised her voice again.

Christen not knowing what else expected from her just nodded her head.

“Okay. Okay I will not go out with whoever guy that you talk about. I didn’t even know who is he?” She replied back trying to sooth the worked up midfielder.

The midfielder just shakes her head and continued her ranting under her breath.

“Come on. Come sit here please.” Christen asked softly. She pats the space beside her.

Tobin takes a deep breath and shakes her head again. “I’m too antsy to sit still.”

“Well I’m getting colder. Whit likes to pretend we are polar bear and as you know I’m not good with cold temperature. So can you please come here? I need my cuddle buddy.”

She hoped Tobin’s protectiveness will kicked in when she said that. She waited with a bated breath while Tobin looks at her suspiciously but she slowed down her pacing. Few minutes later, Christen’s eyes widen in shocked when Tobin turned and crawled on top of her rather than just sit beside her. The midfielder hug her tightly around the waist while settling her head on the juncture of her neck.

Well….I can work with this too, Christen thought to herself. After Tobin settled down, Christen rub the midfielder’s back soothingly. She waited until she can feel Tobin’s breath turn calmer before she starts her questions.

“Now that everything calms down again can we start over?”

Tobin nodded her head.

“Tell me what happen when you reached your room.”

“Well you didn’t want to reply my text.”

Christen’s body tensed up but she remained quiet.

“Then Alex called me an idiot.” The midfielder continues.

“Why?”

“Just cause.” Tobin replied shrugging her shoulder.

“Hmm, okay.”

“Then she said you gonna go out on a date with some guy and have a great night with him. I don’t really remember the thing I said to her. Just that I walked here after that.” She started to explain in a rush.

“But didn’t we talk about this earlier? Something about me being alone forever?”

“Yeah, but then you were angry with me so I thought maybe you will change your mind. But I get it.”

“Get what?”

“Why you didn’t reply my text.”

“You do huh?”

“Uh.. huh.” Christen smiles at the childish response.

“So, care to enlighten me?”

“Well that’s one of the reason Alex called me an idiot earlier.”

“Really? She called you that?”

“Yeap. She said that we are supposed to spend our last day here together because we will miss each other too much when we went back to our own club.”

“But I thought she wanted you to spend it with her?”

“That’s the other reason why she called me an idiot. She said that she understands why we are inseparable and she doesn’t mind. She also didn’t like it if I made her looks like the bad guy.”

“It seems like she’s really doesn’t mind us spending time together.”

“Nope.”

“So basically you are just being stupid.”

“Yeap…wait..uh…that’s not..what…” Tobin leaned back to protest. Christen just glared her eyes and the midfielder’s pout make an appearance.

“Now, let’s talk about the guy that I’m supposed to go out with.”

“Ughh, let’s not.” Tobin whines.

“Well it seems important enough just now that you stormed in here and throw away my book?”

“Aw….I’m really sorry about that. It’s just something that Ash and Alex said earlier. Can I tell you about it later? Don’t think I’m ready to talk about it yet. ” Tobin replied back sheepishly while playing with the hem of Christen’s shirt.

Tobin can feel the forward nodded her head but Christen remind the midfielder again. “You really need to control your anger.”

“I know. I'm sorry, Chris. I really do.”

“Make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Tobin just shrugged her shoulder.

She can’t promise that. She knows how passionate she was and sometimes it reflects on her behavior. The forward knew this too and doesn’t press on the matter further.

“I’m really sorry, for being stupid and let it all out at you just now.” Tobin apologized again.

“You are not forgiven that easily but I can let it go for now. You need to make it up to me in another way.”

“Okay.” Tobin agreed wholeheartedly.

“Now can you take back my book? I like to return back to the chapter before you threw it away.” Christen said nonchalantly.

“But.. I’m here.” Tobin replied back childishly.

“Well, it’s Harry Potter. The one that you lend to me.”

“Oh…okay.” Tobin eyes lighten up and she jumped up to get the book.

“Which chapter are you on now?”

“Well..it’s the one with....”

They continued talking about the book, laughing and joking throughout the night into the wee hours in the morning. Both doent’t mind losing their sleep as long as they can spend every last minute together before going their separate ways. Well... they can catches back on their sleep on the plane back either way.


	8. Dinner and breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some fluffy stories to mend a broken heart

“It’s a little bit possessive.”

“No it’s not.”

“Yes it is.”

“No it’s not.” Tobin insisted.

Meg just shook her head.

“Well if you can stop staring at her like you want to break her arms then maybe I'll believe you.”

Tobin now turned to glare at the defender. Meg just put her hands up.

“I’m just saying that for just a friend, you tend to be a little possessive when it comes to her. It’s like you don’t want to share her with anyone else. Here’s a new flash, Tobs. She’s not yours.” Meg reminded her before walking away.

“Yet..she’s not mine, yet.” Tobin grumbled under her breath.

The midfielder continues glaring at the two lone figures in the middle of the field. Her glaring eyes turned darker when Christen hugged her old teammate before turning and walking towards her.

“You okay?” The forward asked curiously when she neared the midfielder.

“Yeah, come on. I’m hungry.” She quickly put her arms around the forward’s shoulder and gave Christen’s old teammate the side eye.

When their eyes met each other, she tightens her hold and smirked proudly when the other girl averted her eyes uncomfortably.

“Are you done?” Christen suddenly said.

“Huh?” Tobin looked at the forward confused.

“Are you done with whatever you feel you need to do?” Christen raised her eyebrows knowingly.

“Yeah….” Tobin replied back sheepishly.

“Come on then. I’m hungry too.” She urged but not before pinching the midfielder on the waist.

“Ow… why you do that for?”

“Well that’s for being mean to Vero.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you’re glaring at her just now.”

“No I didn’t.” Tobin denied.

“Yes you do and it makes it hard for us to have a proper conversation when Vero’s attention kept going over my shoulder.”

“Good.” Tobin said under her breath.

“What did you say?”

“I mean I’m sorry she felt that looking at me is more important than catching up with you.”

“Hmm…mmm. Well you don’t have to worry about that. Vero and I are going out tonight to catch up.”

“But you said you’ll join me for dinner with my mom and sister tonight.” Tobin’s face turned sour.

“Aww….Tobin I’ve totally forgotten about that. Can I take a rain check? I mean I’ve met them before and it’s just that I hardly get to see Vero. I’m really sorry. I promise I will make it up to you, okay?” Christen turned her puppy dog eyes on.

Tobin sighed. It’s true that her mom and sister already met Christen. But since she already confessed to them that she have a certain feeling for the forward (she asked them both to swear to keep it to themselves), her mom has been bugging her nonstop to meet the forward again.

“I guess if you really can’t make it. Then it’s fine.” Tobin replied back gloomily.

Christen circled her arm around the midfielder’s waist and leaned in to place a placating kiss on Tobin’s cheek.

“I’m really sorry. I really thought that the dinner is next week.” Christen apologise again.

Tobin didn’t reply but just nodded her head.

Her mood certainly didn’t improve few hours later. Even having a nice dinner with her mum and sister doesn’t really help to fill the empty feeling she had.

“You okay there Toby?” Her mum asked suddenly.

“Yeah I’m okay.”

“You sure? You hardly eat anything tonight?” She asked again.

Tobin just shrugged off her shoulder. She just continued playing with the foods on her plate. She tried to engage in the conversation with her family but her mind kept going back to wonder what’s Christen doing at the same time.

“I think she’s just missing a certain someone.” Perry teased her sister.

“No I’m not.” The midfielder’s denied.

“She's busy catching up with someone else at the moment.” She continued gloomily.

She can’t help but feel sadden that the forward has chosen the other midfielder over her. She know that she don’t have the right to deny Christen for spending any of her free time with her other friend. But this is important dammit! She’s supposed to be here. She was in the midst of deciding whether to text the forward when her sister spoke up.

“Are you sure about that, Toby?”

“Yeah…she’s meeting up with her teammate from her old team, Tyreso.” Who is also her ex-girlfriend, Tobin said quietly to herself.

“Well I don’t want to call you a liar Toby, but isn’t that your girl walking towards us now?” Her mum teased.

“What?” Tobin turned around eagerly and sure enough there's Christen walking towards them smiling wide.

“Hey guys, sorry I’m a bit late.”

“It’s okay Chris, you didn’t miss much other than Tobin’s here pouting all throughout dinner.” Perry replied.

“No…I didn’t.” Tobin replied embarrassed.

Tobin stood up waiting patiently for Christen to finish her greetings with her mum and sister before she gave the forward a long hug. She didn’t know how long she stood there hugging the forward close. She only let her go when she heard her mum cleared her throat. Christen leaned close and place a small kiss on Tobin’s cheek before sitting down.

“Sorry, again for being late. I’ve totally forgotten about our dinner tonight and I accidently made another plan with my old teammate.” Christen started her explanation.

“What happen to your friend? Don’t tell us you ditch her?” Perry asked curiously.

“No. We just went for a quick catch up over coffee. She understands that I’ve already made another arrangement and cannot back out from it. I know how this girl here will never let me forget about it if I don’t come tonight.” Christen replied back while nudging the midfielder beside her.

Both Tobin’s mom and sister raised their eyebrows simultaneously when Tobin face blushed red after Christen said that. They both watched in amusement when Tobin pulled her chair closer to the forward’s leaving only a small space between them and then rest her right arm behind Christen’s chair.

It’s like she’s staking her claim or something, Perry thought to herself. Tobin even ordered the forward’s dinner when Christen was busy conversing with their mum. This caring gestures totally not like her usual sister behavior at all.

What’s more interesting was when the food arrived on the table, Christen just smiled thankfully at Tobin, take a forkful of her salad and continue her conversation with their mum without missing a beat. Tobin in the meantime will occasionally grab the forward’s hand that holding the fork and direct it to her mouth instead and Christen will just let her. Their action was so seamless that it looks as if they have practiced the movement 100 times before. She don’t think Tobin even realized that Christen is totally smitten with her too.

Tobin was in the middle of pulling Christen’s hand again when her mum admonished her softly.

“Well, Toby I’m glad your appetite is back. But maybe you should just finished your own meal than Chris’s dinner.”

Tobin’s pout came out. “Oh…okay.” Her shoulder slumped sadly. She starts to let go the forward’s wrists but before she can fully do so, Christen spoke up.

“No…It’s okay. I don’t eat a lot especially for dinner. She’s just helping me to finish it. She know how I hate to waste food.” She continued offering her fork.

When Tobin hesitated, Christen urged her further. “It’s okay, Tobin. Come on. I know you want to.”

Cindy just smile and shakes her head when her daughter opened her mouth and let the forward feed her. Throughout the night, she watched raptly when Christen just continue feeding her daughter without even a peep of complaint. From her point of view she doesn’t believe how oblivious her daughter is on how Christen seems to have some feelings for her too.

Tobin's face remained smiling the whole night watching how seamlessly Christen blend in with her family. Even her mom gave her the subtle nods of approval for choosing the right girl to fall with.

Few hours later while she was happily joking around with her sister, she can feel Christen’s right arm surrounding her waist from behind and cuddle closer to her. Well that’s a sure sign that she’s tired. When Christen is tired or sleepy she tend to be in cuddling mode.

“Well I think it’s time for us to go.” Tobin said suddenly.

“Oh you are leaving already?” Perry asked.

“I’m sorry I’m just feeling tired from the game today.”

“No..it’s okay, Toby. We understand that both of you surely tired. With Chris just arrive here this morning directly from her game yesterday.” Her mom replied back understandably.

After getting out their proper goodbye from her mom and sister, she guide the forward toward her car while Christen trying to hold herself up from falling dead asleep on her feet.

“Come on my car is not that far.” Christen just nods her head.

They made their way to the car in records time and after making sure the forward’s seatbelt is secured she started the engine and drove away from the restaurant.

By the time her car reached the front of her apartment, Christen already fallen asleep in her seat, her head slumped to the side. Tobin switched off her engine and leaned closer to the forward.

“Hey Chris, we are here. Hey…wake up sleepyhead.” Christen blinked her eyes open sleepily.

“Sorry I fell asleep.”

“No it’s okay. I know you didn’t stop to rest since you landed today. Come on. The sooner we reach my apartment the sooner you can properly rest.”

They made their way to the apartment with Tobin half support half drag the forward. By the time they reach the bedroom, Christen quickly brushed her teeth and pull off her jeans before crawled to her side on the bed. Before long she fall into a deep sleep. Tobin followed few minutes later cradling her close.

The next morning they agreed to go out for their breakfast as Tobin hardly have anything in her fridge. They were just enjoying their breakfast when another voice called up Christen’s name. Tobin looked up and sighed when she saw Vero walking towards them.

“Hey! I thought you suppose to leave this morning?” Christen greets her old teammate happily.

“Yeah there’s some mix up my flight schedule. So here I am. Didn’t know I’ll be seeing you here.” The midfielder asked back curiously.

“Oh…that’s because I’m staying with Tobin. Her place is just 15 minutes from here.” The forward explained.

“Hey…Tobin.” Tobin just nodded her head at the half-hearted greeting.

“Well do you want to join us?” Christen invites.

“I don’t want to intrude.”

“You don’t mind right, Tobin?” Christen turned on her puppy dog eyes.

Tobin just shrugged her shoulder and nodded her head. Vero tried to slide in beside Christen in the booth but the forward shakes her head.

“I need to go to the bathroom. Just ordered something first Vero and you guys can catch up in the meantime.” She rushed out before leaving both midfielders gaping at each other.

“Well uh..I can go if you don’t feel comfortable.” Vero started after she sit in front of Tobin to break the uneasy silence.

“Why would I feel uncomfortable?” Tobin asked back stiffly.

“Uh..cause me and Chris have history?”

“Yeah… I know that so?”

“Well I know both of you is a thing now so I don’t want to..”

“Wait…wait…we are not a thing.” Tobin interjected.

“What..but..”

“I mean we are just friends nothing more.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Oh..it’s just that both of you seems so close.” Tobin shrugged her shoulder.

“Yeah…we are just a close friend. But there’s nothing more.”

“Erm… okay then, if yo say so.”

“But it doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be more.” Tobin mumbled under her breath.

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

Vero just called up the waiter to give her orders and just as the waiter left, the forward appeared at their table. They both looks on as Christen seems to be contemplating which side she need to go to but before she made a move to sit beside Vero, Tobin stands up and gesture to her own booth.

“You can sit with me, Chris. I know you like to be near the window.” The forward smiles at the invitation and slide into the booth before Tobin followed closely.

There’s not much space between them when the midfielder put her right arm on the forward’s shoulder while absently playing with her hair. Christen doesn’t seem to be bothered with it at all. She just pulled her breakfast nearer before taking a sip of her coffee. Vero just watched their interactions with curious gaze. Well that doesn’t seem to be just a normal friends gestures, she thought to herself.

“So Vero what’s your plan for the day?”

“Nothing much. I’ll just hang out here while waiting for my flight later tonight. You got any good ideas where I can go?”

Christen nodded her head excitedly and start to lists out her favorite places that Vero can visit while she was in Portland. Tobin smiles when most of the places the forward mentioned is the one that Tobin brought her before. She’s glad that Christen found her favorite place here in Portland. Tobin suddenly realized that the table was quiet. Christen was saying something to her.

“Huh? Sorry, Chris can you repeat your question?”

“Well since Vero is here I want to show her my favorite place. Do you want to join us?” She asked.

Tobin tried to cover her reaction but Christen can feel the midfielder squeezing her shoulder possessively. Before it can become too painful she softly pried Tobin’s fingers from her shoulder and instead linked it with her own. Tobin realizing what nearly happen look at the forward sheepishly.

“Sorry.” She mouthed the words.

Christen just shakes her head and smiles accepting the apologies easily.

“So you want to join us?” The forward asked again.

“Erm…I can’t. I promise Allie I will join her and Alex to discuss about her wedding remember?”

“Well it’s too bad but I’m sure you will have fun.” Christen teased her.

She knew how the midfielder hate to be in between Alex and Allie. Both are too stubborn for their own good. Even though its Allie’s wedding, Alex is too hard headed to let Allie choose something that she herself doesn’t approve. She said it was her job as the bridesmaid to make sure her friend doesn’t make the wrong decision. Tobin is the only calm voice of reason to make sure their plan ran smoothly.

For the rest of breakfast, the duo continue to plan back and forth on places they can visit in such a short time while Tobin just chip in when it’s necessary. She was not really interested in giving her input if it means taking away Christen’s time from her.

Once they finished their meal, Tobin reluctantly leave her booth and follow the two animated figure out of the restaurant. Christen turned to face her downturn face. She tried to hide her grumpy face but of course Christen knows better.

“Hey Vero, can you gives us a minute?” The midfielder nodded her head before moving a few feet away.

“Hey come here.” Tobin walked into the forwards open arms.

“I promise after today I will spend every minute with you okay? You will feel bored with me after that.” She joked.

“Never.” Tobin whispered back holding her closer.

“Well I have to go now.” Christen starts to pull back but Tobin held on.

“Don’t do anything that I will not do okay? Promise me?” Tobin said at the juncture of her neck.

Christen chuckles softly. “That will be a lot. What will you not do specifically?”

“Kissing or going back to your ex.” Tobin replies deadpan.

Christen eyes widen in shocked while her hand rubbed the midfielders back comfortingly.

“Erm…Well that’s very specific.”

“So you promise?” Tobin leaned back and asked again hesitantly.

Staring into the midfielder’s concern brown eyes Christen just nodded her head.

“Okay, I promise.” She reassured her.

Tobin release her hold smiling happily. She watched as Christen walked towards her ex and start on their journey but not before giving her a slight wave.


	9. Lunchtime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffffffff

She found herself still thinking about the forward five hours later while Allie and Alex were bickering about the cake they need to choose from. They are sitting in the corner of the restaurant trying to decide on which flavor that everyone will like.

“What do you think Harry? Which one is better?” Tobin just shrug her shoulder.

“Both are good I guess.” Honestly she don’t think she can even remember tasting so many cakes before. Everything taste the same to her now.

“Urgh..you are useless. I guess that’s what happen when her girlfriend is not here.” Alex said.

“She’s not...” Tobin starts.

“Oh stop with the denial, Tobs. Just admit it you want her to be one. You better make your move because I don’t think Vero will let her go this time.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well Press is the one that broke off their relationship because she trying to make her national debut here remember? Vero’s also suddenly coming here last year to play for your club. So maybe there’s some unresolved feeling there? I think she’s trying to get Press back.”

“No that’s not it. They are really just friends now.” Tobin insisted.

“Oh..Like you and her?” Allie asked. She doesn’t want to be cruel but she felt that Tobin need a little push.

“I’ve already told her not to do anything that I wouldn’t do.”

“Oh really?” This picked the interest of her two friend.

“Yeap…she promised.” Both Alex and Allie raised their eyebrows.

“Huh that’s weird Harry. That’s like really what a couple will do. Why would Press going back to her ex got anything to do with you? I mean she’s totally not obliged to you and she’s still single. She can have anyone if she desire.” Allie prodded her friend further.

Tobin shakes her head even though the doubt start to creep in from her friend’s words.

“Is Press gonna join us for lunch?” Allie asked again oblivious to the midfielder’s mixed feelings.

“I’m not sure. Let me text her and ask.” She quickly took out her phone to text the forward.

Tobin: Hey…you are still joining us for lunch right? I can pick you up?

15 minutes passed and no reply. Before she can send another text, her phone rang.

Christen name appeared on the screen and Tobin face changed from confused to happy.

“Hey Chris. What’s up?” She asked happily.

Alex and Allie just pretend that they can’t hear their friend one sided conversation.

“Uh huh....not much. They just bicker about the cake....nope….ok…but…...” Tobin released a sigh.

“Okay. Yeap...okay. I do…yes I do..I promise…what time? Ok. Uh huh..yeah...no don’t do that..I’m gonna wait… no Chris..we’ll wait. Okay bye.”

Tobin turned around after she ended the call and faced her two friends with a big smile on her face.

“Wow Harry whatever Press said that made you smile so wide?” Allie asked curiously.

Tobin grinned. “Well she said she’ll be here in 20 minutes top. She said for us to go ahead and order first but I told her we can wait.”

“Urgh…what if I’m hungry now?” Alex whines.

“Al..you just tasted like 15 different cakes. That’s like half a cake already. You can’t tell me you are still hungry?” Allie asked.

“Okay…I’m not but it’s nice to be ask once in a while you know.”

“Al..just accept it when it comes between you and Press, she will always be more important to Harry.”

Alex just rolled her eyes. “So what happen to Vero?”

“She need to go back to her hotel room earlier than plan.”

“Well that’s a good news then.”

“Yeap.” Tobin answered back happily.

“I’m just curious, if Press is just a friend, why is sleeping with you?” Alex asked out of nowhere.

The water that Tobin currently drinking spewed out of her mouth towards her unsuspecting friends.

“Oh god, Tobin. Gross!!!” Both her friend jumped in their seats trying to avoid the spraying water.

“Well Al, it’s all your fault either way. We didn’t sleep together if that’s what you are asking.”

“Why didn’t she slept in the guest room then? I know you have a bed in there?” Alex continued her question while wiping her face dry with the napkins.

“Erm..it’s just that she always getting cold at night.”

“Well that’s why we invented blanket Harry.” Allie jumped in.

“Oh…she helped me choose my bed too so it doesn’t feel right that she don’t share it with me you know.” Tobin explained.

“That’s like the most pitiful excuse ever but I’m gonna let it go. I can asked Press later either way.”

“No Al! Don’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want you to make her uncomfortable.”

“She’s a big kid Tobs. I’m sure she can take care of herself...”

“But..”

“No but. Now let’s order something first and no Allie I don’t care if Press will be late, I’m too hungry. Maybe Tobs can just order for her.” Alex instructed her friend.

Tobin just shrugged her shoulder.

When the waiter came to their table Tobin just ordered the food for both her and Christen.

“How come you know what to order for Press?”

“I just know. She ordered the same thing every time we eat here. Plus if she don’t like it she'll just take mine either way. I don’t mind.”

“Tobs how did you not see?” Alex asked.

“See what?”

“You guys are totally acting like a couple already so just woman up and asked her out.”

“Can you stop, Alex. Why can’t I just be close friend with someone without involving any romantic feeling?” Tobin said irritatingly.

“Tobs, what are you afraid of? She’s not Shirley.” Alex starts again.

“Enough, Alex. She’s here already.” Allie warned.

Tobin turned to face the entrance and sure enough Christen is walking towards them.

“Hey guys.” She greets when she came near to the table.

Tobin pulled out the chair beside her graciously and Christen sit down on it. Looking at the midfielder’s frowning face she leaned close and leave a kiss on Tobin’s cheek.

“You okay?” She asked while lovingly wipe her lipstick print off.

Tobin just nodded and gave her a small smile. “Yes. Don’t worry about it.” She grasped the hand holding her cheek and kiss the forward’s palm.

Christen stared hard at Tobin’s face only turning back towards her other teammates when she’s satisfied that the midfielder’s telling her the truth.

“Erm….you guys okay?” She asked curiously when both Allie and Alex look at her with their jaws gape open.

“You…you just kiss Tobin.” Allie starts.

“Yes...” Christen blushed.

“Well you kissed her cheek.” Alex added.

“Uh huh...”

“There’s lipstick...”

“Yes, Allie. Then I wipe it away. May I know where we are going with this?” Christen replied back teasingly.

She look at Tobin but the midfielder busy smirking at her friend while resting her arm on the back of the forward’s chair.

“Are you sure you guys are just friend?” Alex spoke up suddenly.

“Yes.” Both said at the same time.

Alex was interrupted from her question further when the waiter came in bringing their food. Tobin and Christen cut their meal in half and pass it to each other plate oblivious to the gaping stare of their teammate.

“You share food too? Even Serv and me didn’t do that.”

“It’s your loss then. This way we can taste each other food.” Tobin replied cheekily.

“Enough with the question Al. Let them eat in peace.” Allie reminded her friend.

“What’s your plan after this?”

“Nothing much. Waiting for Tobin here to decide.” She nudged the midfielder beside her.

“Really? You are letting her plan your outing? Sorry to tell you this Press, but you will just end up laying around on your bed the whole day.” Alex joked.

Christen shrugged her shoulder “I don’t mind.”

“Wow this is like the first time I’ve heard that anyone just okay with laying around all day.” Allie teased her.

They parted ways when they finished their lunch together. Allie and Alex continue their journey looking for the perfect wedding dress (of which Tobin swear she will join them but she doesn’t want to leave Christen by herself) while Tobin and Christen just went back to Tobin’s apartment.

They spend the next hour just cuddling on the couch watching Christen’s favorite show. But Tobin being herself start to feel restless when the forward ignored her.

“Do you want to watch something else?”

“Nope.” Christen just shakes her head and continue watching the show.

“But I’m bored.”

“Well I’m not. ”

“Chrissss… I’m bored.” Tobin whines.

“Play games on your phone then.”

“It’s charging and it’s too far away.”

“Just use my phone silly. You know the passcode. I don’t mind.” Tobin smiles and grab the forwards phone from the coffee table.

Once she settled back on the couch Christen quickly snuggled back to her side. Her eyes doesn’t even leave the tv shows. Tobin unlocked the forwards phone easily. She was just browsing through the forward’s picture when a message pop out on the screen.

Vero: Hey sorry for bailing out on you so early just now. Everything settled now. Do you want to meet before I leave?”

Tobin was frowning at the message.

She really don’t understand why Vero insisted to meet with Chris every time. It’s not like they can’t catch up over the phone. She was deciding whether to tell the forward or just ignore the message when Christen suddenly grab the phone from her hand.

“Is that message for me? Hmm..Vero asked me out again.” She started to explain.

“You can go if you want.” Tobin said.

She even surprised herself when she said that. But knowing how Christen is, she can let go some of her insecurities. Even though the forward is oblivious to her feelings. Christen just nod her head and replied her text. When she finished she just passed back the phone to the midfielder. Tobin was just opening the application for the game when Vero replied back.

Vero: Ok we’ll catch up another time then. Xoxox

Tobin can’t help the jealous feeling when she saw the sign. Why would she send hug and kisses to her girl.  Yes Tobin admit that Christen is her girl. But the feeling tampered down a bit when she saw Christen replied.

Christen: Sorry, Vero. Already made plans with Tobin. Maybe next time.

“Huh? Did we have any plan?”

“What?”

“Did we plan anything for tonight?”

“Hmm no I don’t think so.”

“Then why did you said you have plan with me?”

“Why are you reading my text?” Christen faked glared at the midfielder.

“Oops..” Tobin replied back sheepishly.

“I thought I just hang out with you since we hardly spend any time together. Remember what I said this morning?”

“Yeah? Till I’m bored huh?”

“Yeap.”

Tobin smiles and bring her arms around the forward shoulder bringing her closer.

“Thanks.” She doesn’t know why she’s thanking the forward but her heart lighten when Christen chose to spend time with her. She leaved a small kiss at the forward’s temple and smile when Christen snuggled closer. For just a friend they sure don’t act like one but if it make them both happy why not just continue whatever they do without labelling it.


	10. The sleepover that never happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 18a of Not So Oblivious

Christen looked up from the card that she was holding when Tobin stormed angrily into the room.

“Hey…why are you back so early? I thought you supposed to have a girl night’s out with Allie and Alex?” The forward asked curiously.

Tobin just chucked her jacket to the other bed before crawling onto the forward’s bed. Having been faced with the same situation before, Christen just slides a little bit on the left leaving an empty space on her right side. What surprise her is that Tobin doesn’t even hesitate to put her arms around her waist and hide her face in the juncture of her neck.

“Erm..Tobin..we’ve got company.” Christen’s cheek flushed bright pink.

Tobin doesn’t reply she further tightened her hold on the forward waists.

“Note to self…avoid playing cards with Chris when Tobin is in clingy mood.” Julie said jokingly.

Christen tried to hide the little shivers she felt when Tobin soft whispers tickled her neck.

“Can’t hear what you mumbled there, Heath.” Kelley teased.

“I’m not clingy.” The midfielder repeated, even louder.

“Right….yeap. We can totally see that from here. What are you doing here? You are not supposed to be back tonight that’s why we are sleeping over here tonight. You can’t keep yourself away from Press here huh?” The defender teased again.

Unknown to her, it totally brought back Alex’s word earlier and it irked the midfielder so much that she glares at the oblivious defender.

“So what if I seems to be clingy or controlling? What are you or the rest of the team gonna do about it? Huh?” She challenged with a raised voice.

“Woooahh..hey..calm down. She didn’t meant it like that. What’s got into you, tonight? You know Kelley’s just teasing you.” Christen rubbed her hands up and down the midfielder’s back comfortingly.

Tobin just huffed under her breath and leaned back against the headboard to wrap her arms defensively around herself. She know it was wrong for her to just attacked Kelley like that. But she was not in a good mood to begin with, dammit!

“Tobin…apologise.” Christen instructed.

The midfielder sighed and shrugged her shoulder but remained stubbornly mum.

“Tobin….” Christen said again. 

This time she can hear there’s a slight hard tone in Christen’s voice. It’s her ‘don’t try me’ tone.

“Sorry, Kell.” She mumbled in relent.

“It’s okay, Tobs. No biggie.” Kelley smiled back accepting Tobin apologies.

Julie nudged Kelley and signaled the door. They both agreed maybe they should call it a night seeing as Tobin was currently in one of her mood.

“Erm…I think we should go.” She said as she stood up while Kelley just nodded her head and followed her.

“Guys..no we can still continue to play..Tobin can join us too.” Christen urged her friends.

“It’s okay, Chris. Maybe we can try this again tomorrow. Tobs, I hope you feel better soon, okay?” Kelley commented before both defenders left the room altogether.

“Are you mad?” Tobin suddenly piped up when the room went silent for a few minutes.

“Why would I be mad?” The forward asked curiously.

“That I spoiled your card games. Our friends just cleared the room in a rush because of me.” The midfielder looked down her fingers busy picking at the bedsheet.

“No..I don’t mind. Kelley cheat either way.”

When Tobin doesn’t say anything Christen leaned forward and pulled the midfielder’s chin to face her.

“Want to tell me what happen? I just saw you like half an hour ago. Now you are back and clearly you are unhappy about something. Come on you can tell me.” Tobin just shook her head stubbornly.

“Will you tell me if I offered you my cuddle services?” Christen invited knowing this may be the only way she can urged the midfielder to blurt out the truth.

Tobin crawled back closer the forward’s opened arms and let her head rest on her shoulder. She dropped her leg in between Christen letting the forward enveloped her with a warm hug. Tobin let out a contented  
sigh when Christen leaned down to kiss the side of her temple and run her hands through her hair lovingly. 

“Why didn’t you answered my text earlier?” Tobin asked suddenly.

The hands stop running through her hair for a seconds before it started again.

“I did.”

“Nuh..uh..I didn’t get it.”

“Yes I did. Give me your phone.” 

Tobin pull out her phone from her pocket and put it on the Christen’s opened palm. Once the phone was in her grasp, she quickly type in Tobin passcode and open her most recent text.

“There…see..I did.” 

Sure enough there was a text from Christen. She must have missed it while she was arguing with Alex earlier.

“Oh..Okay..sorry. I thought you were ignoring me.” 

“Why would I do that?”

“Cause you are getting tired of me pestering you all the time?” Tobin voice out. 

“What made you think that? Did I said anything that brought this on?” Christen asked anxiously while trying to untangled herself from Tobin’s limbs. But the midfielder response was to hold her tighter refusing to let her go.

“No..no..it’s not that. It’s just something that Al said earlier.”

Christen gave up trying to move away from Tobin’s strong hold on her body. As soon as she felt Christen relaxed her body, Tobin went back playing with the hem of Christen’s shirt.

“So does this has something to do with your dinner with Alex just now?”

“Uh huh.” Tobin answered with her go to one word sentence.

“Tobin…” Christen sighed. 

“She said I’m not taking this serious enough.” Tobin said hesitantly.

“Serious enough about what?”

“Getting back together with you.”

“Are you playing around with me then?”

“No! I meant what I said. I’m 110% serious committed into our relationship.”

“Okay then. I trust you.” Christen replied back shrugging her shoulder.

“That’s it?” Tobin leaned back and stared at Christen shockingly. 

“Yeap. Should I said no?” Christen eyes widen.

“No! But Alex said…” Tobin started.

“I don’t care about what Alex said. Let me guess, you’ve been arguing about this at dinner huh?” 

“Yeah..but really Chris. You don’t care?”

“Hmm..nope..and you know why?”

Tobin just shook her head as an answer.

“Because it’s none of her damn business what I decided to do.” 

“You said a bad words.” Tobin breathed a sigh of relief. 

“I will use a lot more when I have a few words with her later.” Christen grumbled under breath.

“Erm…that’s not all.” Tobin hesitated.

The forward sighed. Of course that’s not all. It never is with Alex. 

“Just tell me the full story, Tobin. Right from the time you walked out of our room.”

For the next 10 minutes, Tobin recounted what happen earlier.

“Chris…you okay?” Tobin asked when few minutes passed without a peep from the forward.

“Yes…I think I will have a few words with Alex. She seems to be bothered about something.” Christen blurted out her thoughts at last.

“What? That’s what you get from the story I told you? You don’t think she was being unfair to me?” Tobin let out a surprise huff.

“I think you deserve it, honestly. Allie already warned you to stop but you’ve kept going so basically it’s your own fault.” The forward said amusement thick in her voice.

“Well, I’m glad my issue with Alex is an amusement to you.” Tobin pouted and glared at the forward before turning around and lay down on the bed while grumbling something under her breath.

Christen just chuckled and rolled her eyes. So dramatic. She leaned down to grasp Tobin’s shoulder and place a small kiss on her cheek.

“Sorry. I can’t help it. She was just being protective of me. I feel quite honored actually. It means that she accepted me as one of her close friends. All this time, I’m just someone from the outside looking in, you understand that right?” Christen explained softly.

Tobin turned around and Christen can see nothing but understanding eyes looking back at her. She smiled gratefully down at Tobin.

“Now let’s order room service. You must be hungry. We can have our own girl’s night out today. What do you think?” Christen said in a cheerful voice.

“Yeah…our sleepover will be much better!” Tobin wiggled her eyebrows.

“Like I said. Just a sleepover. Nothing else. I’m gonna call Kelley and JJ back. So you’ll be sharing the bed with Kelley while I share with Jules.” 

“Aw…we don’t even have a time for a make out session?”

“No…”

“Then that’s no different if I have girl’s night with Alex and Allie!” 

“Well..you can go ahead and continued with your plan then. I’m not stopping you.” Christen replied back nonchalantly.

“……”

“………”

“Can I still get to cuddle with you?”

“….”

“Please?” Tobin pouted her lips.

Christen sighed and opened back her arms. Tobin grins widen and jumped back into the forward’s arms. 

“Yeay! It’s going to be the best sleepover yet!”


	11. Don't kiss my friend!

Christen struggled to loosen the firmed grip on her arms that dragging her away.

“Tobin! We should stop! We need to see whether she’s okay!”

Tobin stopped when she heard Christen pleading voice but her grip never loosen. She turned back to glared at the forward.

“It’s her own fault! She shouldn’t do that!”

Christen sighed loudly. She never want to admit it aloud but maybe the younger player really was at fault for ending their peaceful stroll after dinner like this. Just a few minutes ago she was laughing non-stop at Tobin for her bad attempts to imitate their teammates. She was surprised however when someone grabbed her shoulder from behind before she felt that same someone plant a kiss on her lips. She thought she heard Lindsey soft murmured of apology “Sorry, Chris” just before the kiss landed but she may heard wrong. 

Too shock to react, it took Christen a few seconds before she thought of pushing the tall midfielder away. But before she can even do that, Tobin grabbed the tall girl roughly by her arms and as soon as Lindsey’s body turned towards her, she punched her directly on her stomach. Lindsey bowed down and coughed out loud and soon her other posse (Emily and Morgan) came running helplessly to her side.

“Why you do that for! We were just joking around! Sheesh Tobin. Take a chill pill!” Morgan cried out.

Emily meanwhile pat her coughing friend softly on the back hoping that it can lessen her pain. 

“Oh god. I told you guys this was a bad idea. I told you. But no…you guys don’t want to listen to me. Now..see what happened?” Emily shouted to both her friends while continue patting Lindsey’s back.

Ignoring the three, Tobin grabbed Christen arms and pulled her away. Which brought her back to their current situations now. Tobin was pacing agitatedly in front of her back and forth while mumbling angrily under her breath. 

Christen walked closer to the steamed midfielder and stood in front of her. Tobin stopped her ranting but Christen can see the nervous energy coming out from Tobin’s body and she knows she need to do something fast. She stepped forward and hugged Tobin close to her body. 

“Hey…hey please calm down. Tobin..take a deep breath, please.” She rubbed Tobin’s back comfortingly.

She know this is the only way to calm Tobin down at the same time trying to distract her from going back. From her agitated state and wild eyes she knows that was not far from Tobin’s mind. 

“Tobin…look at me. I’m okay. See…I’m not hurt. Please, calm down.” She urged the midfielder again.

“I’m not gonna calm down! She kissed you without permission! She can’t do that! She knows that!” Tobin huffed out angrily. 

She pulled out from Christen’s hold and continue her pacing.  
“But you shouldn’t just punched her, Tobin. You heard Emily just now. They are just kidding around. I think they are doing some prank with each other. Jill will not be happy if she heard about this.” 

“I don’t care! She can’t just do that! She knows you are mine dammit!” Tobin said in angry tone.

Christen eyes widen. “Wow Tobin. I didn’t know that I was your property?” 

“That’s not what I meant. They all should know that they can’t simply do that with me there.” 

“And that really doesn’t help your case here.” Christen replied back sarcastically.

“I don’t care! Only I can kiss you and no one else!” Tobin retorted back childishly.

Christen let out a small smile. “Is that what this is all about? You are jealous she got to kiss me?”

Tobin shuffled her feet nervously. “Yeah…”

Christen let out a small chuckles this time. “Come here.”

Tobin turned beet red and just shook her head. 

“Come here you big baby.” Christen urged the midfielder again. 

When Tobin walked closer to her, she leaned down and leave small kiss on her left cheek. She then moved to her right cheek and leave a kiss there as well. She continue to leave a few small kisses all over Tobin’s face until she can see the slight tilt at the corner of the midfielder’s lips.

“If you want me to kiss you, you can just ask me you know.” Christen whispered softly before kissing Tobin softly on the lips.

When she leaned back a few seconds later, her grin widen at the dazed look on Tobin face.

“You are a dork.” Christen started to say.

“Am not!” Tobin denied.

“Are too!” Christen said.

“Am not! Take it back!” 

Christen internally cheered when she noticed that even though Tobin was protesting, her demeanor has calmed down a bit.

“Are you happy, now?” She teased the midfielder while letting both her arms rest around Tobin’s shoulder. 

Tobin nodded her head happily and grasped her waist. Christen let Tobin hugged her close before she softly whispered back.

“Good. Now let’s go back and see how Linds is doing. You need to apologise.”

“What? No! I’m not gonna apologise. It’s her fault! Why should I be sorry for defending you?” Tobin took a step back and frowned unhappily at her.

Christen sighed exasperatedly. “It’s still wrong to hurt your teammate, Tobin. Come on..”

“Well she should think about the consequences before she forced herself onto you!” Tobin replied back defensively.

“Tobin…” Christen started again.

“No! Dammit! I’m not gonna apologise!” Tobin shouted before storming back into the hotel lobby.

Christen know this time it will be useless trying to reason out with Tobin when she was like this. So she just took a deep breath and followed the angry midfielder closely from behind. They walked into the opened lift in silence and Christen pushed the button on the side panel ignoring the eyes that she knows glaring at her back angrily.

“Where are you going? That’s not your floor.” 

“Well since you refused to go and see her, I’ll have to go and see her for myself. Unless you want to join me?” Christen asked back hoping the midfielder will change her mind.

However, she only received a silence as an answer. When the lift stop at Lindsey’s floor, Christen walked out and sighed in disappointment when she didn’t hear Tobin’s flip flop following her. Before she can knocked the younger midfielder’s room, she heard Tobin voices spoke up from behind her.

“Are you mad at me?”

“No…just…Tobin..maybe..I’m just disappointed.”

“But I was defending you…”

Christen nodded her head and turned back to look at Tobin’s downturn face.

“She was just kidding around Tobin. She and the rest of the girls meant no harm. They were just having fun. I’m pretty sure they didn’t expect you to punch her at all. You need to be the bigger person here. You need to apologise because you hurt her but you refused. That’s why I’m disappointed.” Christen reasoned out.

“You know what…I’m disappointed at you too. I’m also angry that you can’t see that what I’m doing is merely a normal reaction for someone to defend the person that they care a lot. You don’t see your face when she does that. For a minute there, you look so panic and scared at the same time. I punched her because she made you felt that. Even it’s just for a second, you were scared, Chris! I was there! You should feel safe when you are with me dammit! I’m supposed to protect you and you can’t just expect me to stand at the side and watch anyone do that to you and let them get away with it.” With that heartfelt confession, Tobin stormed away.

Christen watched Tobin retreating figure with her jaws agape. Before she can chase her, the door in front of her opened.

“Hey…sorry I heard a noise outside. Didn’t mean to overhear your conversation.” Lindsey greeted her. Her face blushed slightly red and Christen knew the younger girl heard everything that Tobin just said.

“Yeah…It’s just something that we need to work out I guess. It’s Tobin. She’s rather protective of me. How are you? Is your stomach okay?” Christen asked in a worried tone.

“Don’t worry about it, Chris. It’s just a bruise. Nothing that a bag of an ice can’t fix. So..erm…I just want to say sorry about just now. I really didn’t meant to scare you somehow. Erm..how mad is Tobin right now?”

Christen chuckled. “She’s quite mad actually. She didn’t just throw a punch like that just for fun you know.”

“Really, Linds? You gotta asked? You hear that Moe? Didn’t I told you guys earlier?” Emily asked from her perched on the bed.

“Hey…Chris. I am are really sorry too. I still dared Linds to kiss you even though Emily here warned us not to. We didn’t know that Tobin will do that.” Morgan started her explanation.

“Yeah…the thing is, I don’t think you guys have to be worry about that anymore. She’s madder at me than any of you at the moment.”

“If it helps we can go and apologise to her. I felt bad about what happened actually. Maybe you can come with us? That way she may not think about punching the rest of us too?” Moe pleaded.

Christen raised her eyebrows. “Well in that case, let’s go.”

She watched in amusement as all three players scrambled to get their things before rushing out of the room. They were whispering amongst themselves when she unlocked her room and walked in to see the glowering midfielder on her bed.

“Hey..there’s someone here to meet you. I’ll be in the bathroom to give you guys some privacy.” 

She smiled when she heard the younger girls apologizing to Tobin for their actions earlier through the bathroom door. But she didn’t hear Tobin’s response. By the time she came out of the bathroom, she noted the other three has left the room altogether. She continue to change into her pajamas noting that the brown eyes followed her every movement. Tobin doesn’t move a muscle when she went under the cover and fluffed up her pillows.

“Tobin…” Christen started.

“What?” Tobin answered back defensively.

“Can you switch off the light when you are done?” 

Tobin turned to look at her with a surprised eyes. 

“That’s it? That’s all you gonna say to me after what I said earlier?”

“Hmm…mmm..” 

“What the hell, Chris! We should talk about this!” Tobin shouted out angrily from her bed.

Christen rolled her eyes. Well there goes my beauty sleep then. She sit back up and leaned against the headboard. 

“Okay…let’s talk. What do you want to talk about?” She asked calmly.

“Well I want you to apologise to me.” Tobin started.

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? You know why! You should apologise because I was punching her for making you scared!” She continued her ranting.

“Okay..and how will I know that? Did you tell me when I asked you, the first time?” Christen asked again keeping her tone calm.

“Of course not! I’m not going to tell you that! I don’t want you to make a fun of me if I tell you the truth! You’ll just made that ‘Awww…’ face like you are doing now and tell me I’m….”

“Adorable…”

“Yeah..that..” Tobin sighed.

“So..let me get this straight. You don’t want me to make the ‘aww’ face so you don’t tell me the actual reason why you punched Linds and now you are angry when I didn’t realise it in the first place?”

“Yeah?” Tobin replied back sheepishly.

“Now..are you finished being angry with me yet?”

“Maybe…”

“Tobin..come here.” She patted the empty space beside her.

When Tobin sat down beside her, she gingerly leaned close to leave a kiss on her cheek.

“I’m sorry.” She softly whispered. 

She kissed the midfielder’s cheek again.

“And..thank you for defending me…I’m grateful that I have you as my protector. So am I forgiven, now?”

“You know I can’t be mad at you for too long.” Tobin let out a soft smile and shrugged her shoulder like it doesn’t mean much to her. 

But Christen knows better. She watched at Tobin stiff body started to relax and leaned against her. Tobin played with the remote on her right hand before looking back up to her.

“Do you want to watch the bachelor with me? Kelley and Alex will be in this episode.” 

Christen nodded her head and slid back down the bed. Tobin changed into her pajamas and switched off the lights before sliding in beside her. She opened her arms inviting the forward to rest her head on her shoulders of which Christen accepted without any hesitation before covering them both with the sheet. 

“By the way..How’s the hand? Does it hurt?” Christen asked after few minutes watching the show in silence.

Tobin doesn’t reply. She just put up her left hand and flexed in front both of them. 

“She got a soft stomach. I felt like I just punched a teddy bear.” She said smugly.

Christen gingerly took the midfielder’s left hand and trace her fingers along the veins stood out on the back of Tobin’s hand.

“I just want you to know that I care about you too and I don’t like it when you get hurt.” Christen mumbled softly into Tobin’s neck.

Tobin just tightened her holds on Christen as a response. 

“I’m so sleepy. I don’t think I can finish watching this.” Christen yawned as she gestured towards the TV.

“Okay…then I will let you rest.” Tobin made a move to go back towards her own bed but Christen protested sleepily.

“No, stay. I want cuddles tonight” She pouted her lips childishly.

Tobin chuckled. “Okay..scoot over then.”

After Tobin switched off the TV, she wrapped Christen’s body close on top of her while rubbing her back softly up and down lulling her into sleep. Before long, she can feel Christen breath turned slower and softer which is an indication of her falling deeper into the dreamland. Tobin kissed her temple lovingly and whispered out ‘I love you’ before letting the sleep fully claimed her for the night.


	12. Different POV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My internet super sucks

Lynn opened the door hoping against hope that her roommate will not be someone too overwhelming for her. When she get the call from Jill, she had her families back then to support and gave her words of encouragement. Here, in this hotel she was alone by herself and that thought alone bring back the nervous jitter to her body. Yes there will be other newbies besides her but she felt that she have more to prove since she was out of commission for a year due to her injury. It was a shocked really to get a call for the national camp in the first place and if she screwed this up she has nobody to blame but herself. 

Since she was a young girl, it’s hard for her to get close with anyone else as she prefer to be left alone with her thought. Her parents was so worried about her social life that they registered her in any sports team that they can think of. Nothing stick until at the age of fifteen, she found out that she like the feeling of kicking a soccer ball into the back of the net. However, her social skills doesn’t improve much. 

She knew some of her teammates thought that she was a stuck up and standoffish. But it doesn’t deter her to keep playing her best when she was on the field. When she was sidelined with injury in her senior year in college, only a handful of her teammate came over and visit her. They left her alone after they realised that she was better at playing soccer than having a simple conversation. Even though she was expecting it, she can’t help but felt disappointed how fast her teammate can just abandoned her. 

When she joined the professional league, she made an effort to open up a little bit more. She was surprised that such a small step can bring a lot of differences in her life. To her surprised, her teammate seems to accept her quirky, introvert and awkward behavior easily. When her Flash teammate know how a simple social activity will drained her as if she was having a double day of practice, they made it a point to cut their meeting short just for her. If she really don’t have the energy to join them, Sam with her OCD nature even detailed down all the minute of the team meeting to make sure she was not being left out.

She know here at national level it was a different ball of game altogether. So she made all her preparations upfront to make sure she was ready. She already memorized all the players’ name, their likes and dislikes based on whatever material she found in the internet. However, with all her preparations, she never expected what happened next.

“Hello?” She greeted when she walked into the room. 

Only silence greet her back. She took a big sigh of relief when she realised the room is empty. Okay, her roommate haven’t arrived yet so maybe she can get herself situated first. She was contemplating which side of the bed she wants to choose from when the door suddenly opened behind her.

“Hey…” Tobin greets before walking further into the room to put her luggage on the bed near the window.

“Hey..uh..I guess I’ll take this bed then.” She muttered softly under her breath.

Unknown to her, there was another person standing behind her and heard her soft muttering.

“Hey..Sorry, do you want that bed? Tobin can move my luggage if you want that side.” The voice said softly.

She turned around, her jaws wide agape at the piercing green eyes that stare directly into her soul. She was just standing there remain speechless with her jaws wide opened, star struck. Shit why do they put me in the same room with my idol on the first camp! Oh my god how am I supposed to function like a normal person and not like an eager fan around her? Shit…you need to be cool Lynn! Remain cool! Oh Shit! She’s looking at me funny now. Talk Lynn talk! Her inner voice scream.

“Lynn?” Christen asked again. Her eyes turned to worry when the younger girl just stare at her with her mouth opened.

Oh god, she knows my name! She felt like she wants to jump in glee. Eeeeeekkk. And now it’s getting weird! Talk Lynn talk!

“You are way much hotter up close.” When she saw Christen eyes widen, she know she just said it out loud. 

Shitt……Oh god..Please god let the floor opened up and swallowed me whole. She felt a warmth blush started to cover her cheeks. 

“Sor..” Before she can apologized, Christen just let out a small chuckles and just shrugged her shoulder.

“Thanks, I guess.”

“Ermm…you’re welcome. Really it’s fine….Wow even her smile is beautiful...” Lynn continued then turned back around shockingly while trying to cover her mouth. 

“Wait..sorry. I’m not supposed to say that out loud.” She tried to apologise again.

Christen’s eyes twinkled in amusement. 

“Hey..Lynn. Take a deep breath. Don’t be nervous. It’s just me.” 

“So you want this side or what?” Tobin spoke up suddenly. 

Both players turned to face the midfielder. One with raised eyebrows and another with surprised face at the impatient tone she heard.

“No..no its okay. I know she would prefer the one beside the window.” Lynn replied back sheepishly.

The midfielder’s eyes widen and she took a threatening step toward her. 

“How would you know that?” 

Shit…Did she read wrongly? “Erm..I think I read it somewhere before.”

Yes she know everything about her idol. She knows Christen like to do yoga and her meditation early in the morning. She also knows how the forward loved her dogs so much that she treats them like her own children. And the best of all is that Christen identified herself as an introvert too. That was the main reason why Christen is her favorite player amongst the rest of the players in the team. It made her feel that maybe as an introvert she too can be successful like her idol, introvert and all. 

Before Tobin can asked further, Christen interrupted.

“Tobin, come on. You need to go already, remember? Alex waiting for you downstairs.” Christen reminded her.

The midfielder continues with her stare and Lynn started to fidget with her hand uncomfortably.

“Tobin…” The forward took step forward and offered her hand invitingly.

When Tobin took the offered hand and both made a move towards the door, Lynn took a deep breath of relief. Wow, am I seeing things or did Tobin really look like she was going to punch me? Lynn thought to herself at the same time trying to pretend she was busy rummaging through her backpack so as not to appear like she was eavesdropping on the conversation by the door.

“Thanks for bringing up my luggage.” She heard Christen said.

“No worries. It’s not that heavy.” Tobin replied back softly.

“So…I’ll see you at lunch, okay?”

Lynn didn’t hear any respond but from the corner of her eyes she saw Christen leaned close and leave a small kiss on Tobin’s cheek. Tobin meanwhile let out a soft smile, point to her other cheek and after Christen complied with the silent request, the midfielder then walked out of the room whistling happily. Wow, they really seem to be very close. 

Lynn stood back facing Christen when the forward walked back into the room.

“Just to warn you, I’m a morning person. So you need to bear with me in this camp.” Christen started.

Lynn gave a small chuckled. 

“Well, I don’t mind. Erm..but don’t think this is weird or something but maybe you will. Of course this is weird. But..erm..I just erm..”

“Okay…okay..I really need you to take a deep breath now. I don’t want you to pass out or anything.” Christen reminded her calmly. 

She followed Christen’s instruction. After getting her breath to calm back down, she spoke again.

“Erm..the thing is, the airport seem to misplace my luggage. They said they’ll send it here when they get a hold of it. But…so do you know where I can buy clothes or something? I mean I’ve never been here before so I’m not sure…but if you are not sure too it’s okay. Maybe I can asked the guy at the lobby. Most probably I just need it only for tonight then…” She stopped when Christen put up her hand.

“Wow..that was a not a good first national camp experience. But seriously, don’t worry we can go out later to get you something.”

“So..erm what are we supposed to do today?”

“Well, usually Jill let us chill on the first day. There’ll be a brief meeting tonight on what we gonna do for the rest of the camp. Each of us will be given a schedule. But don’t you worry, roomie. You just stick with me and you’ll be fine.” Christen assured her.

“Thanks.” Lynn replied back gratefully.

The next two hours they spend the time getting to know each other better. She was surprised that Christen can be such a funny person too. It was such a relief to know that from whatever she read about her idol, she was hundred percent much better person in real life. Christen is genuinely nice and kind person through and through. Even though she was a bit star struck at first, now she know that Christen is just a normal person that play because of her passion and love for soccer of which she can really relates. Their conversation however was interrupted when there was a loud grumbled coming from her stomach. 

“Well, I think we better feed you. Come on lets go meet the rest of the team.”

She was laughing at another one of Christen attempt at joke when they were walking into the lunch hall. When she accidently snort out loud, Christen infectious laugh rang out beside her.

“Oh God…that joke was really bad. I don’t know why I’m laughing.” Lynn stated.

“Oh but that’s what made it funny you see. I’m really glad that you can get a good laugh even at my bad jokes. The others sometimes just laugh because they don’t want to hurt my feelings.” Christen chuckled softly.

Yes she understand that feeling very well. She sometimes got the same treatment from her friends too. She didn’t know where it came from but she felt a bit protective of Christen after she heard that.

“Eh I’m weird that way. As long as I’m here don’t worry you’ll always have someone to laugh at your bad jokes.” Lynn proclaimed loudly.

Christen smile widen. Their interaction again interrupted this time from someone calling over Lynn’s name excitedly. When she turned around, she saw Sam waving her arms over invitingly. But she was uncertain of her next move. She shouldn’t abandoned her roommate the moment someone called for her attention right? That’s so rude? Am I supposed to stick to my roomie on my first day? Before her thoughts can go rampant again, Christen made the decision for her.

“Go..go on..go mingle with the young’s one table. I’ll be fine at boring senior table there.” Christen pointed to the other table.

She followed the direction of Christen’s pointing finger and felt a slight panic when she saw a glare from a pair of brown eyes directly looking back at her. She blinked and the glare doesn’t change a bit. Shit…is Tobin mad at me or something? She just nodded her head absently when Christen kept on talking beside her but she doesn’t registered anything because the glaring eyes never blinked away at all. When it became too uncomfortable she cleared her throat and turned towards the forward.

“Erm okay, Chris..maybe I should go see what Sam want already. See you later.” She didn’t know whether the forward has finished talking or not but she just want to be out of the way from the glaring brown eyes.

“Okay…see you later roomie!” Christen replied back happily oblivious to her roomie’s internal struggled.

Lynn tried to shrug off the uncomfortable feeling she had. It was lessened a bit when she was suddenly enveloped with a warm hug from Sam after she reaches her friend’s table.

“Hey ya Lynn! I’m glad you are here already! So what do you think? Isn’t this neat? Who’s your roommate? I’m so stoked you are here for camp already!” The tall midfielder exclaimed jumping up and down.

Well nobody can claimed that Sam’s not excited to see her. 

“Wow Sam. Take a deep breath there. Maybe you should let the girl breathe first.” Moe reminded her tall friend.

While Moe and Sam joking around with each other, Lynn stole a glance at the other table. She saw Christen already sat down in between Alyssa and Tobin and she seems to have quite an interesting conversation with the keeper from the way her hands was flying around. She smiled when she saw the gestures. Oh it was the same thing she will do when she was excited during her conversation too. She turned back towards the occupants on her table when Moe tapped her on the shoulder.

“Don’t tell me…you’re rooming with Press?”

“Oh god you will be in for a wild ride.” Emily piped up.

“But she really seems nice to me!” She defended her roommate.

She doesn’t think her new teammates were so judgmental but she can be wrong. Her stomach made another grumbled before she can added further.

“Wait Em didn’t mean it that way. Come on let’s get you something to eat first and you can eat while we explain.” Sam invited.

Lynn piled up the food high on her plate. She really was hungry. When she heard Christen laughter rang out she can’t help but glance at the forward’s table again. This time around she noticed that Tobin was leaning comfortably close against Christen which bordering overbearing but the forward doesn’t seem to mind at all. Which was really surprising to her because that was a big NO for an introvert person. 

Sam nudged her back towards the table and they were eating silently beside each other before she dare to broach up the subject again.

“Erm about what you guys mentioned about Chris just now? Can someone explain to me?”  
Three pair of eyes watched her in surprise before Moe started to speak up.

“Well, first of all, don’t call her that. That was specifically reserved to her close friend only.” 

Lynn raised her eyebrows questioningly. 

“But why? She doesn’t seem to mind when I called her that in our room just now.” 

She tried to recall the forward reaction earlier but she really didn’t think that Christen is uncomfortable when she used that nickname.

“It’s not Press that you should be worried about. It’s the girl beside her.” Emily added.

“Who? You mean Alyssa? I met her in the earlier. She’s was really nice too.” 

“Owh you are so naïve...You have a lot to learn, Lynn. Let me give you a hint. When you saw Chris for the first time, who was she with?” Sam asked.

“You mean Tobin?” She still didn’t get what the other three players trying to tell her.

“Yes! Ok that’s one point for you there. Then you see who sat beside Press now?” Sam asked again.

“Tobin?” 

“Ding ding ding! Give the girl a medal for getting it right the first time.” Moe said jokingly.

“Wait is that why Tobin was glaring at me just now? Is it because of a Christen’s nickname?” 

“Oh god, what did you do? She usually doesn’t give her famous glare until a few days later in the camp. Even Lindsey got it on the third day.” Sam said excited to hear a new gossip.

“I didn’t do anything, I swear!” 

“What are we talking about?” Chrystal asked as soon as she joined the table.

“Lynn’s roommate.” Emily answered.

“Oh…what about her?” 

“It’s Christen…” Sam whispered softly like it was really a secret.

“Oh…this is gold.” The small defender said. “Is that why Tobin kept glaring at this table?” She continued.

“What?” Lynn quickly turned her head around but the midfielder was busy scrolling through her phone. 

The rest of the occupants erupted into laughter after seeing her reactions.

“Relax..she’s just joking. So what’s the update?” Emily asked this time.

“Nothing much. Newbie here, called Press by her nickname.” Moe quoted her fingers when she said that.

“Wow…well, Lynn you need to get greenlight from Tobin first if you want to call her that.” Chrystal started to explain.

“That’s what we are trying to explain to her.”

Lynn just nodded her head even though it was really confusing to her. What’s so special about that name either way? But if that can make her go back onto Tobin’s good side she will do it.

“Okay..I can do that.” She agreed.

“The next step you need to do is not to get too handsy or huggy with Press there. Believe me I’ve made that mistake once and I have sprained ankle the next day.” Moe added as if Lynn never said anything.

“Yeah…Tobin is a bit territorial when it comes to Press.” Sam interjected.

“I noticed earlier. They seem very close. Are they a couple?” She stated.

The table erupted into laughter again.

“No. If you asked them they will say no but let me gives you a clue here, Lynn. They are really and I mean really super damn close. But they do behave like one especially Tobin and we all had a bet on the day when they both actually admitted it. So don’t even think of looking at Press the wrong way or you will feel Tobin’s wrath upon you.” Emily said again.

She gulped hard. Wow it sounds really serious. She was really grateful that they can give her a heads up on this. She really doesn’t want to get into anybody’s bad side before she even got the chance to play in the game. She let it ran through her mind while she finished her lunch. Her thoughts were interrupted however when she heard her name being called again. Oh my god… it’s Chris…no..Press, she corrected herself quickly.

“Hey Lynn! You okay here? Are they giving you a hard time?” Christen fake glare to the rest of the players when she neared the table. 

“Yeah..yeah…we are really scared of you, Press! Wooo…” Moe teased back.

Lynn just shook her head. “Nah…don’t worry. They were nice.”

“Well Tobin and I plan to go try out the new coffee shop downtown later. Jill said we can take the team van. So you guys wanna join us? Maybe after we can get your things too.” Christen suggested.

“I’m in! I heard the new cafe sell Macaroon too.” Moe jumped in.

“Well, I’m not gonna refused a good coffee.” Crystal added.

Sam said yes to the invite so Lynn nodded her head too. Emily though just shook her head.

“Nah..I need a nap. You guys can go ahead.”

“Okay I’ll meet you guys at the lobby around 4? Lynn, I’ll be hanging out in Tobin’s room in the meantime.”

“You ready Chris?” Tobin spoke up from behind her.

Lynn quickly averted her eyes from Christen when she heard Tobin’s voice. Better make herself as invisible as possible. Christen looked at her curiously but before she can say anything, Tobin voice rang out again.

“Chris?” This time there was no mistaken the impatient tone in the midfielder’s voice.

She stared at the retreating pair. She watched as Tobin let her arms rest at the forward’s waist part holding part guiding her out of the hall.

“Yeap…good job there, Lynn. Tobin never looked this mad before.” Sam said jokingly.

“Hey..don’t look so worried. Tobin is harmless and if you are really not comfortable you can just tell Press. She know how to handle Tobin if it’s get too much for you. This was not the first time it happened either way.” Emily offered kindly.

Christen POV

Once they reached the midfielder’s room, Christen was lounging on Tobin’s bed scrolling through her messages while the midfielder busy rummaging through her luggage.

“Chris..did you see my jacket?” 

“I thought you bring it with you?”

“I meant the black one.”

“Oh then you should ask me caused that’s my jacket. It’s in my luggage. Why?”

“I just want to wear it later.” Tobin just shrugged her shoulder.

“What’s wrong with yours?” 

“Huh?”

“You can just wear yours right? We are not going for a fancy dinner or anything. I’m sure the café is fine to let you in even though your jacket doesn’t match the rest of your outfit.” Christen teased.

“If you don’t want to lend it to me you can just said so.” Tobin grumbled under her breath.

Christen raised her eyebrows when she heard that. Uh oh something is wrong. 

“I didn’t say that. Why are you in such a bad mood?” Christen asked back quietly.

Tobin ignored the question and continued to rummage through her luggage this time looking for her own jacket.

“Tobin?” Christen persisted.

“Nothing! Nothing is wrong. Everything is peachy. We just arrived here at the camp. What could go wrong?” Tobin rambled on.

“When you rambled like that, I know there’s something wrong.” 

“Nothing is wrong!” Tobin insisted with petulant voice.

Christen walked closer, kneeled down beside her and ran her hand through the midfielder’s back soothingly.

“Hey..come on. You know you can tell me anything. I don’t like it when you are like this.”

“I don’t like it too.” Tobin started when she turned to face Christen.

“Okay, that’s a start. Now tell me what’s making you unhappy like this?”

“I don’t like Lynn.” Tobin confessed.

Christen raised her eyebrows. “Erm..I don’t understand..we just met her.”

“Well when you walked into the hall earlier, it doesn’t seem that you just know her. You were like the best of friends, already.”

“She was just laughing at my joke. Apparently she can relate to my bad joke.” Christen smiled when she remembered her earlier conversation with Lynn at the hall.

“I can understand your joke! She’s not the only one!” Tobin defended herself.

“Hey..hey..I’m not saying you are not. I know that sometimes you laugh because you don’t want me to feel bad. But with Lynn, she’s different. We totally clicked.” She explained.

“Well if you say so, it’s settled then.” Tobin just shrugged her shoulder.

Christen sighed and pulled the still pouting face towards her. 

“She’s actually very nice. I’m sure you gonna like her too.”

“You know I don’t like to share you with someone else.” Tobin just shook her head at the forward’s suggestion.

Christen eyes widen comically, oh yeah how can she forget about this peculiar behavior from Tobin. At first she felt uncomfortable with how territorial or possessive Tobin seems to be with her but after a while she know that the midfielder doesn’t meant her any harm. Tobin just doesn’t like to share her with someone else and to be honest, she secretly love the attention given by the midfielder. So she let it go and chooses to ignore it whenever her teammate commented about it. While it sure didn’t surprised her that this issue has come up again, what surprised her is that it happened so early in the camp.

“Can you tell me why? You just met her a few hours ago. If you get to know her maybe you’ll feel better.” Christen kept her tone neutral.

“She really like you. I think she have a crush on you.”

“Erm.. I don’t know where you get that idea but she was not…” before she can finished her sentence, Tobin added further.

“I know that look. I have the same look when I first saw you in camp few years ago.” Christen can’t help but felt her heart aflutter when she heard that admission.

“You know you don’t have anything to be worried about right? I’ve told you before. No one else can take me away from this thing we have together. I love that we can cuddled whenever we hang out together without having to question it. Nothing can change that.” Christen assured the midfielder.

“And she called you hot too.” Tobin mumbled out softly.

Christen chuckled softly. 

“Well will it help if I said I don’t have any feeling whatsoever for her? This may sound shocking to you but I do tend to like someone that can nutmeg people left and right during her free time. You know anyone that can fit that criteria?” She teased the midfielder.

Tobin grinned widely. 

“Yeah..you are right. Maybe I’m being ridiculous right now but I just don’t like it.”

“Well you want me to uninvited her or something? I’ll do that if it’s make you uncomfortable. I want you to be happy.”

“Nah..you like to meet new people. It’s okay. As long as she didn’t do anything out of the line.”

“Wow…Miss Heath I didn’t know that there’s a rule on how my friendship works. What does that mean?”

“Well she can’t kiss you like this.” Tobin replied back cheekily before she leaned and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

When Tobin leaned back she smiled at the flushed cheek appeared on Christen’s face.

“And…she can’t make out with you like this.” Tobin then proceed to let her hands roamed under the forward’s shirt while she started to nip at Christen’s neck.

Christen just moaned out loud as a reply. Tobin stopped when she heard that her eyes turned black. She pulled the forward up.

“Get on the bed. It’s time I show them who you belong too.” Tobin growled.

“But…Allie..” Christen tried to protest even though her body was throbbing in desire.

“I already told her to leave us alone a few hours. It’s enough time right?” Tobin said before she jumped on the forward.

Needless to say, when they both went down to meet the rest of the girls few hours later, Lynn was shock speechless when Tobin just greet her happily. Christen was wearing a long turtleneck, her face flushed red and Tobin just smirked happily beside her.

“Welp..Lynn I think it’s safe to say that your problem have been averted at the moment.” Chrystal said softly when Lynn just gaped at the pair.


	13. What are we?

Christen looked up from her book when she heard the footsteps coming into the dining hall. She thought she will be alone this morning. She didn’t think that any of her teammates will be up this early since they decided to celebrate their 2nd victory in a friendly tournament against China last night. When the rest of her team member opted to go to another bar for more drinks, Christen followed Hope, Carli, Amy and Cheney back to the hotel preferring to be alone and sober to self-reflect on each of her mistakes in the game. 

She knew that Amy and Cheney planned to stay a bit later in their room as Amy was bringing her two sons in camp and since today only involved recovery session before their next travel, she also know the rest of the girls planned to stay late in the pub and it was confirmed when her roommate is still sleeping by the time she wake up. To avoid disturbing her, Christen decide to do her reading in the dining room instead.

But to her surprised, she see Sam and Lynn walked into the room followed by Moe and Emily. The foursome walk in zombie like manner to the coffee pot at the end of the hall. Once they completely emptying out the pot, they made a move toward her table. Lynn took a seat on her left while the rest spread out on the remaining seat. From the look of their face, she knew they were having the side effect of last night celebration. Christen chuckled when they simultaneously let out a groaned and put their head on the table.

“I need more coffee to wake up at this hour.” Sam muttered out.

“You know you guys can stay sleep a little longer right? It’s only 7 in the morning and today we only have recovery which only started in the afternoon.”

“Yeah…but this girl here have a great idea to challenge Carli last night and to prove a point Cap asked us to go run with her this morning.” Moe gestured towards Sam.

Christen leaned back and really looked at the other four occupants on her table. Only now she noticed that all four of them were wearing their training gear and running shoes.

“I really don’t want to know how that happened. You guys dig your own hole with that one. What I want to know is how you got involved in this” Christen turned to the girl on her left.

“Urgh…I was just an innocent bystander. They were challenging Carl and by the time I reached them, she invited us to go for a run with her this morning.” Lynn explained.

“More like instructed us, actually.” Emily added.

Lynn sighed in defeated, grabbing Christen arm and leaned her forehead on it. 

“My head is killing me, Press! Please save me! I’m begging you.” Lynn whispered pleadingly.

Christen chuckled and just shook her head. “I can’t save you from this little one.”

Lynn whined childishly. “But this is not how I want to be reminded of my first camp!” The rest of the table laughed along with her antic.

“And you are my savior! You are my only hope! Please…” Lynn’s head now rested on Christen’ shoulder.

Suddenly Moe, Emily and Sam sit up a little bit straighter looking behind them. Christen turned to look behind her expecting to see Carli but was surprised when she sees Tobin with her hood up glowering down at them.

“You are in my seat.” Tobin grumbled out.

Lynn moved her head from Christen’ shoulder confused and look around the empty seats remaining on the table. 

“I…um..”

Tobin feeling impatient just walked closer to Lynn’s chair and took a firm hold on the back of it and jiggled the seat as if trying to push the girl out of it.

“I said..you are in my seat!” Tobin said a little louder.

“Tobin!” Christen chided.

“Shit! Sorry…” Lynn jumped up and move away. 

She start to walk backwards slowly when Tobin distracted by Christen calling out her name again but stop still when Tobin turned back to glare at her. She was afraid to move as if the slightest movement will made Tobin pounce on her.

Lynn took a deep breath when Christen tugged on the midfielder’s hand and this time Tobin turned her glare to the other three. Christen just shook her head when Moe, Sonny and Sam quickly get up to move away to another table but not before pulling their motionless friend too. 

Tobin smirked before she took a seat beside Christen. As soon as she felt the seat under her, Christen pinched her right arm.

“Owwww….why you do that for!” Tobin whimpered slightly while rubbing the reddened skin.

“That’s what you get for being so mean to them.” Christen explained.

“You know I don’t like to share.” Tobin replied back challengingly.

Christen pinched the midfielder again this time harder.

“Chris…please stop pinching me!” Tobin whined.

“Well I will keep pinching you until you get it in your head that I am not your property.” Christen said angrily.

Tobin grasped the hand that aiming for her skin again and this time she looked remorseful.

“I’m sorry. You know I didn’t think of you that way. Just that, when I woke up this morning you were not there and I got headache ….” Tobin shoulder slumped and she put her head down tiredly onto the table, clenching her jaw.

After hearing that, Christen felt her anger ebb away. Since the Algarve camp few months before, both of them started to spend more time together. Christen suspected the only reason Tobin gravitated toward her because she was feeling lonely after all her close friend in the team started to get busy planning their life for the future. She know Tobin feels like she was being left behind and currently Christen was the safe net that Tobin hang on tightly. 

Christen leaned close and tried to pull her hands from Tobin grasped but the midfielder held firm.

“No….” Tobin mumbled under her breath.

“Tobin, I’m not gonna pinch you again. I just want to get you some water. I think you are dehydrated.”

“Don’t wanna drink.” 

Christen sighed when she heard the petulant voice. She know when Tobin is in this mood, she just need to sleep it off so she pulled her hand again and this time Tobin let her go. 

“Come on. Let’s go back to our room. You need to sleep.” She softly rub her hand up and down Tobin’s back.

Tobin nodded her head and let Christen led her away from the dining hall.

 

While across the hall at another table, there was 4 set of eyes watching the pair every move.

“What just happened?” Lynn asked quietly.

“Sorry, Lynn we forget to tell you not to sit Press left side. That’s Tobin spot.” Emily started to explain.

“But she was not there. It’s not like I took her place.” 

“You are new to the team and she didn’t know you. She’ll warm up to you once she get to know you better.” Sam added.

“I have a boyfriend! I’m not into Press like that.” Lynn replied back defensively.

“Doesn’t matter. She’s quite territorial over Press.” Moe now added.

Before she can came up with another retort, Carli walked into the hall followed by Hope.

“Morning, girls! Let’s go! Hope will help to keep track of our time.” Carli shouted.

The four now quickly followed their captain and the keeper with a feeling of dread.

 

When they reached their hotel room Tobin dropped herself onto Christen’s bed. She pulled Christen’s pillow under her head and started to doze off. Christen rummaged through her luggage before she sat on the bed beside Tobin.

“Tobin, come on. You need to eat this pill and finish the drink.” She cajoled the prone figure on her bed.

Tobin just grunted before pushing up her body and take the glass from Christen’s finger. Tobin dropped back down on the bed after swallowing the pills but when Christen made a move toward the other bed, the midfielder grasped her hips. 

“Stay please. I wanna cuddles.” 

Christen hesitated at first but when Tobin just pulled her hips closer to her head, she relented. As soon as the forward lay down on the bed, Tobin shifted to rest her head on the forward’s shoulder. Christen thread her hand through Tobin’s hair while her other hand rubbed the midfielder’s back up and down comfortingly.

“This shoulder is mine…” Tobin whispered out before drifting off to sleep.

Christen let out a soft smile when she heard that. She know that Tobin’s territorial behavior was just because she was afraid that Christen will leave her too. But she didn’t have the courage to tell Tobin that since she was already in love with her, it will be hard for Christen to leave her. Unless Tobin doesn’t need her anymore.

It was 3 months later that her worst fears suddenly come into reality. Tobin met a girl in Portland and they were madly in love. Tobin didn’t tell her. Julie did when she bumped into the pair during her visits in Portland. When they meet in the next National camp, Tobin can’t stop talking about her new girl. Looking at how happy Tobin looked, Christen felt a pang in her heart. Christen listened to Tobin’s ramblings with a force smile on her face. It didn’t take a genius to figure this out. She know it’s time for her to leave Tobin too.


	14. What are we?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2

Christen is moving on. She started to believe she has moved on. The last few days since the start of the camp, she was able to distance herself away from Tobin and the midfielder doesn’t seem to notice it. She was busy regaling the stories of her weekend gate away with her girlfriend to Kelley and Ashlyn. 

But then when she heard Tobin’s happy voice, she felt her heart broke into tiny little pieces. Maybe she haven’t move on. Distance should help. So she just kept to herself for the remaining days in the camp and Tobin never searched for her.

 

“They broke up.” Ash said.

“Tobin found her with another girl on their bed.” Alex explained.

“She’s devastated.” Kelley lamented.

“Tobin missed you.” Allie pleaded when Christen didn’t pick up any of Tobin’s call or reply any of her messages.

“She’s just using you.” Julie reminded her.

Christen just nodded her head and doesn’t say anything when her teammate said anything about Tobin. 

Since the midfielder had issues with her back, she was being ruled out from the camp and Christen felt that she can relaxed for the first time. She doesn’t have to pretend to be happy for Tobin anymore. 

 

They don’t have any National games scheduled for the next 6 months so Christen packed up her stuff in LA and move to Sweden. She convinced herself that it was just so she can learn new experience in a foreign country and environment and not to distance herself away from Tobin. No. Not everything is about Tobin.

There was no further communication between them. It was broken the day Tobin has a girlfriend and neglect to inform her about it. It became unrepairable when she didn’t even acknowledge the distance Christen felt between them and tried to amend it.

“She joined PSG.” Ali said as soon as Christen picked her up from the Sweden’s national airport. 

“Good for her then.” Christen replied back solemnly. 

Paris. Now it added few more thousands miles between them. Christen released a sigh of relief.

Her heart start to mend itself slowly for every goal she scored. The euphoria feeling or winning give her the joy and contentment feeling like she never felt before and she didn’t want to lose it. She kept scoring one after another.

Until her eyes met Tobin’s again on the final match in Women Champions League. When her team won, she doesn’t feel any joy at all. Tobin devastated face doesn’t allowed it. Then she realised she’s not over the brown hair midfielder. Oh.

 

She remained stoic when they met again in camp. 

“Hey…” Tobin greeted sheepishly. 

Christen looked up from the magazine she was reading to address Tobin. She was currently waiting for Julie in the hotel lobby. 

“Hey…” Christen greeted back.

“Erm…do you mind if I sit here?” 

Christen looked at the empty chair in front of her and shook her head. “No. Go ahead.”

She continue reading the magazines. She need to start over the paragraph again. Her brain goes blank when her eyes met Tobin. From the corner of her eyes, she watched Tobin pulled out her phone and played with it. They remained quiet and she was able to ignore the presence in front of her until Julie called her name.

“Bye.” Tobin said.

Christen didn’t say anything in reply.

 

It seems that every corner she turned, Tobin was there. 

She was having breakfast with Ali when suddenly Alex and Tobin walked into the café. They decided to join them. Christen cut their breakfast short leaving the three behind after citing the need to see Jill about something. Which basically not a lie. She did see Jill but it was just a short ten minutes brief.

When Dawn asked her to pick up an ice box from the locker, she doesn’t hesitated to do so. But she stop at the door when she saw Tobin and Kelley still in the locker.

“Ice box.” Christen said in explanation.

She reached the back of the room and grab the ice box holder to pull it when she felt another hand grabbing the box from the other side.

“It’s empty.” Christen started.

“I still want to help.” Tobin insisted. 

“Fine.” Christen let go and walked out of the room.

When it became the 7th time it happened (massage room, recovery session, team meeting, dinner and breakfast sitting), Christen new this was not a coincidence anymore.


	15. What are we?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 3

It started to affect her performance on the field. This distance. Jill took noticed. Either do something to improve or being bench for the rest of the games, she warned. So when she suggested for Christen and Tobin to work extra minutes together, Christen mum her protest.

Christen just gritted her teeth when Tobin gave her a weak pass. She swallowed her anger when she heard Tobin cursed at her missed shot at the goal. But when Tobin shouted at her for not giving her best, Christen just kicked the ball at Tobin’s head and walked off the field.

By the night falls, Christen walked out of the camp. Her grandma had a stroke and just passed away.

She didn’t return to finish the camp afterwards.

 

Her ankle busted. Both of them. Her local club trainer put her on caution for the next 5 weeks. Christen was devastated but remained brave and strong for the sake of her team. In the meantime, Julie has taken the role as co-captain. Even though she can’t play she still accompanied her team during their matches. It also mean she cannot avoid Tobin forever. 

Its Portland turn to host the match, so inevitably Tobin, Lindsay and Emily dropped by her hotel room for a visit. They catch up on what she has been missing from their last camp while Tobin stood at the back and stared at her silently. When Lindsay, Emily and Alyssa went down to get some coffee from the shop below, Christen know she can’t avoid the talk with Tobin anymore.

“How are you?” Tobin started when she sat on Alyssa’s bed.

“I’m fine.” Christen gave a polite smile.

“I’m sorry about your grandma.”

Christen felt her eyes watered but she held it in. So instead of answering Tobin she just nodded her head and softly whispered “Thanks.”

“I also want to apologise for my behavior on our last training. I shouldn’t shout at you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Christen looked down avoiding eye contact.

Few seconds ticked by without another word. Before Christen can say anything, Tobin interrupted.

“Chris…I... I’m sorry for not telling you about her. I just don’t know how to tell you. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Christen looked up sharply. Her heart beat fast. 

“What do you mean you don’t want to hurt me? We were on the phone and texted almost every day! Why is it so hard for you to tell me about your new girlfriend?”

“I know, Chris.” The midfielder mumbled out.

“What… do you mean? What do you know?” Christen asked back nervously.

“I know that you have feelings for me.” 

“Of course I have feelings for you. We were friends...” She retorted.

“Chris…I know you like me.” Tobin confessed.

“Oh…”

The anger she felt a few seconds ago vanished into thin air. It is now replaced with a deep sadness. Tobin knew. She knew about her feelings and it still doesn’t change anything. Julie was right. She was just being used.

“So what? You just decide to fake it until you find someone better huh?” Christen replied. Derision in her tone.

“No..you got it all wrong. I don’t want to lose you! I don’t want to lose our friendship!”

Friends. The dreaded word. Christen just shook her head. This was so messed up. 

“Get out.” 

“I….Chris, please.”

“Get out, Tobin. I don’t want to talk or even look at you right now.”

Tobin walked out of the room. Her posture shows a total defeat. Christen didn’t care anymore. She just slammed her back behind the door as soon as it closed. Her tears ran freely down her cheeks. 

She went back to all their interactions and see it with a new eyes. It’s all fake. Tobin was just faking it all with her and she was a fool to believe it all this time.


	16. What are we?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 4

Christen practiced her shot every day once she got the green light from the trainer. She was currently practicing her shot in the LA training center when she heard a familiar voice.

“Looking good there, Pressy!” A voice shouted from the sideline.

“What are you doing in LA?” Christen shouted back but she didn’t stop shooting the ball.

“Visiting my favorite person.” 

Christen finished her last shot before turning and walked toward her teammate. 

“Do you mean me or Hope?”

Kelley let out a big laugh. “Can’t it be both? I have enough love to spread around, you know.” 

“I heard that Hope will be coming in today but I didn’t expect to see you here.” 

“Yeah…well I surprised her last night. Gotta keep the love alive, you know what I mean?” Kelley wiggled her eyebrows.

Christen choked on her drinks. She should have expected Kelley will come up with something like that. 

“So where’s Hope?”

“Still stuck in the meeting. You wanna hang out with me till then? We can go for lunch.” The defender put up her hand pleadingly.

“Well..since you asked me so nicely. But you’re paying.” Christen laughed.

“Nope. But Hope is.” Kelley replied back cheekily.

They walked towards the small café located at the entrance of the facilities. They were catching up like old times when Hope walked into the café.

“Hey, Press.” Hope greeted her.

The keeper sat down beside Kelley but not before leaving a small kiss on the defender’s lips. Hope pushed her chair closer to Kelley so she can wrap her arms around her shoulder. Christen smiled at the gestured. Hope really was different when they were alone like this. Sometimes she even wondered what her friend saw in the ice queen keeper. But looking at how they interacted with each other, Christen’s doubt just went away. 

“How’s the ankle, Press? Are you able to play in January camp?” Hope asked.

Christen just shrugged her shoulder. “Okay, I guess. But I don’t think I will be called up this time. I didn’t really play much and has been on the sideline for months.”

“Oh don’t be dramatic, Chris. I’m very confident that they will called you back. Even if you can’t play, Jill and Dawn still want to assess your fitness level. Your spot is already guaranteed in the team.” Kelley assured her.

“Enough about me, guys. Hope, how’s the interview? Did you get the job?”

Hope raised her eyebrows. “What do you think?”

Kelley squealed before she jumped onto the keeper. “Yeay! We need to celebrate! Chris, let’s go for dinner tonight. Hope’s paying.”

“Oh I am? Don’t I have a say in this?” Hope teased back.

“Nope and you are paying for our lunch too.” Kelley replied with a deadpan face.

Christen just laughed while she ignored the slight twinge of jealousy while looking at the pair. She once felt the same happiness before.

 

That same night, as soon as Hope’s red jeep parked on her driveway, Christen jumped into the back seat. She was however caught by surprised when she comes face to face with the other passenger in the back of the car.

“Oh…I forget to tell you. Tobin gonna join us for dinner. You okay with that right?” Kelley asked innocently from the front seat.

“Yeah..” Christen mumbled out. What is she supposed to say?

Throughout the journey to the restaurant, they can feel the tension at the back of the car but Kelley being her oblivious self-keep filling up the silence with her ramblings. Once they reached the restaurant, Hope pulled Kelley with her up front talking animatedly under their breath leaving Christen and Tobin by themselves slowly following the pair from behind. As they reached the restaurant door, Tobin grasped Christen wrist and slowly pulled her to aside.

“Hey, don’t be mad at them. They didn’t know I’m coming. I just caught them while they were making their way to the car. If this is making you uncomfortable, I can make up an excuse and just leave. Just say the word.” Tobin offered.

Oh. Now, she want to be nice. Now, she considered her feelings? Christen pulled her hand away roughly.

“I don’t care. Do what you want.” She replied before she stormed into the restaurant.

Christen avoid making eye contact with Tobin throughout the whole night while she try her best to act normally with her other teammates. They finished dinner quickly and as soon as Hope’s jeep stopped in front of her house, Christen politely thank the pair before she jumped out and dashed to the house. She was hoping that she can really put this night behind her. When she reached her front door, only then she realised her hand was empty.

“Chris, you left your purse.” A voice said from behind her.

She leaned her forehead against her door. Why does fate hate her so much? Why can’t this night just end? She took a deep breath before turned to face the midfielder.

“Thanks.” The forward said before making a grab for her purse.

Tobin pulled it away out from her reach. 

“Tobin…this is not the time. I’m tired and I just want to go to sleep.” Christen said wearily.

“Then just tell me when. I just want a chance to explain to you.” Tobin insisted. 

Christen just shook her head. “Why are you doing this? What is there to explain? You have a girlfriend then you broke up and now you suddenly realised you miss me? Please…I’m not that naïve.” 

“I do miss you, Chris. Everyday. I think at least you owe me a chance to explain here. If you don’t want to have anything to do with me again after, then I’ll understand.” The midfielder persisted.

Christen looked up at Tobin’s face. “Just…just give me some time to think about this. You can’t just barged into my life here like the past few months didn’t happen.”

Tobin nodded in resignation. She passed Christen her purse and took a step back. 

“I’ll be here till the weekend. If you are ready to talk before that just give me a call or text. I’ll be there.”

Christen opened her door and walked in without saying anything further.

 

Christen steamed about it for a few days. Is that it? That easy? Do I just let her explain so I can move on? Should I even give her the chance to explain in the first place? 

“It’s worth to try. What else you got to lose? I mean she supposed to grovel until her knees bleed for what she’s done to you. But if she‘s willing to start somewhere, you should go. She knows that if she hurts you again, I’m gonna kill her.” Julie said on the phone firmly.

It’s harsh. But Christen need to hear it. She was relief that Julie was totally on her side for this. 

Even though she was scared, she dropped Tobin a text the next day.


	17. the path..

When Christen walked into the slightly empty park, Tobin already was waiting for her at the small bench facing the pond.

“Hey, Chris. Thanks for agreeing to see me.” Tobin started.

Christen just nodded her head. Looking down on 2 coffees cup, Christen just raised her eyebrows.

“Oh..yeah. I’ve ordered coffee for you. Hope you don’t mind.”

Christen just shook her head while taking the seat beside Tobin. “I don’t plan to be here long. Just say what you need to say.”

“Oh..ok. Erm..well I just want to start by telling you that I’ve miss you. I’ve missed us.”

“Why?” Christen suddenly asked.

“Huh?” 

“You didn’t even bother about me when you were with your girlfriend. So why now?” Christen asked again.

“That’s…I just want to make clear that being with her doesn’t mean that I forget about you. But....”

Christen put her hand up to stop the midfielder halfway.

“Don’t. Please…I don’t want to hear anymore. You are just lonely again. The only differences now is that I’m not willing to go through that again. You were just using me.” 

“I’m not using you! Believe me, all of that was real! I know you have the right to be angry with me but I’m scared that by telling you about her we will never be the same and it does! It changes things between us!” The midfielder insisted.

“Of course it will change things! What do you expect? I have feelings for you! You know about it and what did you do? You go and find a new girlfriend! It doesn’t make any sense!” Christen blurted out harshly. 

Christen stood up.

“I was too!” Tobin retorted back quickly.

Tobin walked closer and grabbed Christen’s arms. 

“Chris, please… please believe me. I..I was falling for you and I’m scared! You are Christen Press! People loved you! You went out to Sweden and you've won the Champions League! Only you can do that. I have nothing to offer you. I’m not good enough for you, Chris. I’m not even a starter and you are a rising star. I’m just gonna dimmed your lights. You deserve happiness. You worked hard for it!”  


“So you just take the high road, decide what’s good for me and just decide to hurt me by getting yourself a girlfriend? What the hell, Tobin!” Christen cursed out loud.

This is too much. Christen tried to pull away. Tobin stubbornly hold on tight.

“No..please let me explain. I thought if you see me moving on then you can too. I truly believe you deserve someone better than me. But she’s not you, Chris. I’ve kept comparing her to you and it always fell short! Then I realised I was not happy. But it was too late because I was already stuck in a relationship that I didn’t want in the first place. I owe it to her to give the relationship another try but I had enough. That night I actually went to see her to break it off and that’s when I found out she has been cheating on me with another girl. But I didn’t feel sad. I’m just relieved.”

If she heard Tobin’s confession a few months ago maybe there was a hope to mend their relationship. But now… Christen just let out a big sigh.

“What’s the point of this, Tobin? We kept going back to the same thing. Even what you are saying is true, you know I can’t trust you anymore. I think you have your own issues that you need to solve first. I can’t be your rebound.”

“I know that. I know. But I just want you in my life. Honestly, if the only thing you can offer is your friendship I’ll take it. I’m not gonna push. Even if it take years, I want to earn your trust back.”

“I’ll think about it.” Christen walked away.

Closure? She didn’t think she get one that day.

 

Tobin kept true to her words. She didn’t push, but she made her effort known whenever they were in camp together. The midfielder will invite her for a pickup games, coffee break, movies night and other activities just as friends of which Christen decline every time. She thought since the last 3 camps and after she rejected Tobin’s suggestion for the 7th time, the midfielder will take the hint and stop asking her but the she kept on it. 

“Its annoyinggggg….” Alex groaned from her bed. 

Christen smirked but continue with her reading. Her fellow forward and current roommate can be so dramatic at times. No wonder she was best friend with Tobin and Kelley.

“Can’t you just go with her? One time. That’s all I ask. You can hold it against me if it doesn’t work out. Just so she can just shut up about it. I can’t stand it anymore. It’s getting ridiculous. Last night Kelley said she was booking two seats for the circus in town. Since you have already said no to any of her other suggestion. She was getting desperate. Either she talked about you or she kept asking about you. It’s getting tiring, Press. Please just do something about it. I’m gonna go crazy.”

“I’ll think about it.” Christen replied politely. Same words she uttered the past three months.

“What’s really stopping you? I’m so tired become her messenger. I’ve asked her to just text you but she said she want to give you space. I don’t really understand her reasoning here. Do you?” Alex asked curiously.  


Christen just shrugged her shoulder. “Who knows what’s inside her mind this days. I don’t even know her before.”

Alex stared at her roommate. Her eyes turned wide unblinking.

“That’s not true. She really opened up to you, Press.”

Christen sighed. 

“No. Listen to me. Never in the years since I know her that she has let someone got close to her like you did. I think that was what really scare her. You have the power to really break her.” Alex said.

“So? She break me first?” Christen asked back sarcastically.

“I don’t agree with what she has done to you. But when Tobs scared she tend to do something foolish. I mean she kept staying over at her friend house for years before she bought her apartment because she just scared to own anything that she can called her own. She scared of messing it up.” 

“I know about her commitment phobe, Al. I just don’t think that she will have it with me.”

“Well, that’s the thing Chris. She was okay with all this carefree attitude without a care about what happen the next day and suddenly you came in. You made her think about the future.”

“I…” 

Christen was interrupted however when Alex suddenly sat up on her bed.

“OMG. Now I can see it. When she asked me about hunting an apartment with her before, she said she want to surprise you with it. I didn’t think much about it because I thought that you guys were just trying to win a bet or something. Now when I think about it, she want to show you she grown up! She’s trying to impress you!”

Christen just rolled her eyes. Of course Tobin’s best friend will side with her on this.

“And she kept asking your opinion about the apartment like the apartment was yours too! Oh god! I’m so stupid. Why can’t I see it? I mean I did see it with the way you two behave around each other but then…Allie! I should talked this with Allie. She can vouch for me..” Alex said excitedly before rushing out of the room.

“Well, nice talking to you, Al.” Christen whispered begrudgingly into the empty room.

 

Half an hour later, there’s a knock on her door.

“Al, I kept asking you to bring your own key…” Christen said with a sigh.

She should have expected it. Tobin.

“Erm, since you always busy and everything. I just want to bring you this. Here.” Tobin offered the takeaway bag on her hand.

Christen looked at the logo of her favorite pastries café and just took the bag.

“Thanks.”

Tobin looked down at her feet. “Your welcome. Hope you like it.” 

“....” 

“Okay then. Erm…bye.” Tobin turned and walked away.

Christen waited a few minutes staring at the retreating figure before she walked back into the room. When she opened the bag, on top of the box of pastries, she found a folded note on top of it.

“Chris, remember the time that I've accidentally spilled coffee on myself and Kelley? That was the first time I saw you.. especially your eyes. Your eyes changed colors based on your mood. There was a slight wrinkle at the corner of your eyes and that's when I know when you are really happy. It tells me everything even when you are not saying anything. I miss looking into your eyes. I miss you looking at me. I regret that the last time that you look at me, it was with sadness and now anger. I am sorry for ever doing that to you.”

Christen know now, it’s going to get harder to keep saying no.


	18. The path (Short update)

A few weeks after the camp, Tobin texted her.

Tobin: hey

Chris: Hey

Tobin: What are you doing?

Chris: Reading

Tobin: Boring…what book?

Chris: HP

Tobin: Really? ;)

Chris: No.

Tobin: Aw…

Tobin: So…you free tomorrow?

Chris: Y?

Tobin: I have a meeting near your place. So, wanna meet for lunch?

Chris: Can’t. I’m busy.

Tobin: Reading?

Chris: No

Tobin: Eating?

Chris: Yes…

Tobin: We can eat together?

Chris: I’m meeting someone actually

Tobin: …

Tobin: Is it like a date?

Chris: Sort of…

Tobin: Who is it?

Tobin: Forget it.

Tobin: got to go. ttyl. 

Christen just shook her head at the last message from Tobin. Typical. When it’s not into her favor, she just took the high road because it was easier.

Few hours later.

Tobin: Hey..sorry about earlier

Tobin: Chris?

Tobin: Oh…maybe you are asleep. 

Tobin: I’m trying hard here, Chris. 

Tobin: My head knows it but my heart hurts. I’m still trying to get to the fact that we are just friends now.

Tobin: I should tell you earlier how much you mean to me

Tobin: I regret the choice that I’ve made

Tobin: But knowing that I can lose you to someone else, that made me realised that I don’t want to

Tobin: I lose you once and I don’t intend to let you get away again this time

Tobin: I know it’s not fair but if by being unfair mean that I can get you back, then I don’t care

Tobin: I want you, Chris. I decided I want us to be more than friends

Tobin: So I just want to tell you upfront that I’m getting you back.

 

Christen read through all Tobin’s message the next day. She didn’t believe what she was reading. Tobin just assumed that she will just jump in joy when she decided to be with her? Please. She was not gullible anymore. 

Christen just switched off her phone and get ready for her lunch.


	19. The journey

Christen walked into the restaurant and smile when she heard a familiar laughter’s. By the time she arrived at the table, the two men stood up and hugged her warmly.

“Hey, Chris. How are you?” Nima greeted.

“I’m good. You?”

“Same. But Steve here just told me that I’m getting chubby. Can you believe it?” Nima pouted.

Steve leaned back from Christen and slapped Nima’s shoulder playfully while the same laughter that Christen heard earlier rang out again.

“Hey, I didn’t say it bothers me. I’m saying that you look more macho.” Steve just wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

Christen meanwhile, just point her finger at the broad shoulder in front of her.

“Oiii! How dare tease my bestie! Don’t listen to him, babe. I think he’s just jealous. Your pudgy cheek really brings out your eyes.” Christen said jokingly.

Nima let out a small chuckled and put his hand up.

“Yeah yeah.. I know with you two, I’ll never win.” 

Christen took her seat before she started. “Thanks for coming to see me today. I didn’t think you guys want to.”

Nima just shrugged his shoulder. “Since we are in town, we don’t mind. What surprise us was that your friend agreed for this meet up too.”

“Yeah, she was the one that suggested it since she knew I was not really comfortable being out in the open.”

Both men nodded their head knowingly. 

“So what time is she coming?”

“She said she’ll be here soon. She texted me a while ago. She’ll be here in 10.”

“You nervous?” Nima asked. His tone worried.

“Actually, I’m not sure really. Maybe just a little. We agree not to do anything if I’m not ready. It’s a bonus that she knows me. So…”

“Yeah, we understand. Just don’t want you to rush into things that’s all.” Steve said.

“I don’t think…”

Before Christen can finished her sentences, Nima interjected. 

“Yeah…since Tobin. You sure you didn’t jump into things? Maybe you need more time to think about this?” 

“I’m sure. We talked about this and I think this is a good time.” Christen assured her best friend.

“Well, then I guess it’s decided. We will fully support you on this.” Steve added.

“Hi guys…..” The voice greeted from behind them.

Three pair of eyes turned toward the voice. Christen stood up to greet the newcomer.

“Hey, Lys….glad you are here already.”.

Nima and Steve waved their hand as a greeting. As soon as the tall girl sat down, Nima started his questioning.

“Are you guys sure that you want to do this? People would be wondering….” 

“Nope. But we must. She already said yes.” Alyssa smirked. 

Christen eyes widened at the woman beside her. “Well, I want to but YOU on the other hand don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“Oh god, Chris, I’m joking! Really…Don’t be mad. I’m here aren’t I?” The keeper side hug Christen teasingly.

Christen eyes softened. She can’t blame the keeper if she feels uncomfortable about this situation too. This is a bizarre one at that. Of course, anyone will be surprised if they realized she has chosen Alyssa. To be honest she really didn’t think anyone will ever thought about them together like this at all.

“So.. how’s you’ve been Lys? The last time I heard about you, there were some rumors that you were injured?” Steve asked.

“Yeah… just a slight sprained on the shoulder but nothing to be worried about. Just need to ice it occasionally.” 

“What are you going to do when this thing come out? To the public, I mean.” Steve addressed his questions directly to the keeper.

“Well, it’s up to this girl here, actually. I mean I don’t want to say anything that will create more problem to us later. So I will let Chris decide on how we are gonna do this.”

Nima looked at the pair in front of him. Christen looked a little worried but most of all she didn’t seem to be sad anymore and that was the most important thing for him at the moment. If the keeper can help Christen get back her confidence, he will not say anything. 

They continue with their conversation throughout the rest of the lunch. When the bill came in the keeper graciously took it away from the waiter. 

“Guys, this is on me. I just want to thank you guys for being here with us. I told her there’s nothing to be nervous about, but you know how she is. You always looked beautiful to me.” Alyssa stated while looking pointedly at Christen.

Nima smiled at the sweet gestured. She’s glad that Alyssa seemed to understand Christen’s mood. Christen in the meantime blushed red at the keeper’s comment. When they walked towards the parking lot, Steve and Christen led the way while Nima and Alyssa followed slowly from behind.

“I’m glad that we had a chance to meet up. When Christen told me about this, we are a bit skeptical at first but seeing you guys now I guess I can be sure that you gonna take care of her?” Nima challenged the keeper.

“Yes, don’t worry. I’m gonna take good care of her.” The keeper promised.

“I…I was so wrong about Tobin before. I just felt guilty you know. I should have known that Tobin was not like who she seems. Christen has suffered enough. I don’t want her to be hurt in any form again.” 

That last statement rang through Alyssa’s mind while she drove Christen’s back to her apartment. She took a peek at the forward beside her.

“Just say what you want to say, Lys.” Christen softly.

“You sure about this? Once it is out there, you can’t hide it anymore.” 

“I’m sure. It has been a long time. I shouldn’t stop living my life just because I was hurt before. I need to move on. Why do you keep asking me this? Aren’t you the one that said to grab life by the horns and seize the moment? Did you change your mind now?” Christen questioned back.

“It’s just that maybe you need more time to think about it. About this. This is a really important decision. I don’t want you to regret it later.”

“No. I’m sure about this.”

Alyssa heard the determined voice in the forward’s voice but her brain kept questioning whether they were making the right decision. She keep quiet on the rest of the journey. Once they reached Christen’s driveway, the keeper no longer surprised to see the slumped figure on Christen’s porch. She was actually expecting it when Christen texted her earlier about Tobin’s message. She felt a rush of protectiveness overcome her when she saw Christen’s face as soon as she saw Tobin. Before Christen can opened her door, she held the forward’s arm softly. 

“Hey, if you don’t want to see her, you don’t have to. I can tell her to leave.” Alyssa offered.

Christen just shook her head. “No, it’s okay.”

“You sure?” The keeper asked again.

“No but I have to. She’s not gonna leave until she does. You know how stubborn she can be.” Christen replied.

The keeper released a resigned sigh. Yeah, everyone know how stubborn Tobin can be. 

“Okay. But make sure to text me later.” The keeper said before she leaned in to hug Christen. 

“K..” Christen replied softly as she was developed in the keeper’s strong arms. 

Christen took a deep breath before moving out of the car. She watched Alyssa’s car until the taillights were gone from her view before turning back to her house. Tobin now stood staring at her. Yeap. The midfielder saw everything and she doesn’t look happy.


	20. Sudden acceptance

“Is that Alyssa?” Tobin asked as soon as Christen reached her porch.

“Yes.” Christen replied.

“That’s who you have your lunch with?” Tobin asked again.

“Yes.” Again Christen replied with one word.

“I don’t understand…you said you have a date…”

“…..”

“You mean? You and Alyssa?” Tobin eyes widened.

Christen just shrugged her shoulder noncommittedly.

“What? How?”

Christen shifted her eyes down trying to avoid looking directly into the brown eyes which she know will be staring directly at her.

“Why?” Tobin said with a sigh.

Christen look back up at the midfielder perplexedly. “Why what?”

“Why her?”

“She’s there for me.” Not like you. Even though the words are hidden but both were aware of it.

“Are you happy?”

“Do I look unhappy to you?” Christen retorted back sarcastically.

Tobin shook her head before releasing a soft sigh. “Okay.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean yeah, sure. She’s nice, caring and all.”

Christen not quite believing what she’s hearing stalked towards the midfielder and punched the midfielder on her right arm. Hard.

Tobin looked back in surprised at the forward. “Whaaa…?”

“That’s it? After the text you send me last night and that’s it? You just give up?! What the hell is wrong with you? You are not making sense!!” Christen shouted angrily while nudging the forward backwards on her shoulder.

“I..what? I’m not giving up! I was just gonna say that since you’ve already went out with her then you should at least give me the chance to date you too. So that you can make sure you make the right decision. I know you may think she was the one for you but I’m here to proof you wrong. I mean when I heard that you are going out with someone else I realise that I didn’t even ask you out on proper date before. So here I am. I’ve been waiting here for you to come back and ask you out on a date.” Tobin confessed.

After hearing that, Christen started to calm down. Before she can pulled her hand away, Tobin grasped it loosely between her fingers.

“Just give me a chance..Please.”

Christen quirked her eyebrows. “If after that I still chose Alyssa and ask you to leave me alone, will you?”

Tobin shook her head. “I’m sorry I can’t do that. I want you back. That’s it. I’m not gonna stop till I do.”

Christen secretly was hoping for the answer and when the midfielder delivered, she can feel some of her walls started to crack.

“Wait! You said after! Does that mean you agree to go out on a date with me?” Tobin asked in excitement.

Christen didn’t say anything but turned to unlock her door.

“I’m thinking about it.” She whispered softly before closing the door behind her.

From behind the door she let out a small smile when she heard Tobin whoop gleefully.

 

Two hours later, Christen was laid out on her sofa binge watching Game of Thrones when she heard the chimes of a new message.

Tobin: Hey..about that date..

Christen let out a small chuckled. Tobin is persistent.

Christen: What about it

Tobin: Have you finished thinking about it yet?

Christen: I haven’t…

Tobin: What?? It has been 2 hours…...

Christen: That’s not enough time..

Tobin: Oh..ok then...I’ll wait…

30 minutes later, her phone chimes again. Christen widened her eyes when she saw Tobin’s new text.

Tobin: So about that date…

Christen sighed in defeat.

Christen: You said you are not going to push

Tobin: Sorry. I’m just excited thinking about it

Tobin: Well do you need more time?

Christen: …

Tobin: I’ll take that as a yes then.

An hour later, her phone chimes again.

Tobin: So..about that date…

Christen: Pick me up for lunch tomorrow at 12.

Tobin: Really!!!!?

Christen raised her eyebrows at the text. 

Christen: I’m not gonna repeat it.

Tobin: Okay..yeah. I will be there early! Don’t worry!

Christen: Just be here.

Tobin: Ok. I promise! 

 

The next day, Christen was getting nervous when 15 minutes passed after 12 but Tobin has yet to arrive at her house. Is she backing out of this? 

Christen: Where are you?

Christen: I’m not gonna play this game with you. This is the last chance, Tobin.

Christen: I’m willing to wait for another 10. You better be here.

30 minutes passed and Tobin is still didn’t show up. Christen let out a big sigh of disappointment. 

She was thinking of calling the midfielder when her phone suddenly rang. Alyssa.

“Hey? What’s up?”

“Is Tobin there yet?” The keeper said as a greeting.

“Erm, no. She’s not. Why?”

“Just curious. She came to see me earlier.”

“What? Why did she do that? Did she hurt you?” Christen asked worriedly.

She can hear the keeper let out a small laugh. “Surprisingly no. She just said that she was glad that I was the one that she need to compete with.”

“She said that?”

“Yeah. But of course the most important thing was that she just didn’t want us to have any bad feelings when she get you back.”

The keeper continue on talking while Christen remained shocked speechless.

“While we are still competing for you, she warned me not to hurt you or else she will make my life a living hell. Oh and she said nobody will be good enough for you including her but she will try her very best to prove herself to you. After she gave all this declaration, she said she was going to get ready for a date with you and she will knock your sock off.”

“Lys, what time did she come to see you?”

“I guess, around 2 hours ago. Why?”

“She stood me up! I can’t believe she will do this to me!” Christen replied. Anger in her tone.

“Wait, why are you mad? She may have been a little late but I’m sure she have a good reason. She seemed so excited about your date.”

“Of course I’m mad! She was so arrogant about this! She didn’t take this seriously at all. She still think that this is a game!”

“I think she was really taking this seriously. Maybe you should call her...” The keeper said in a soothing voice.

“Why are you backing her up?”

“Chris…”

“No, I don’t want to hear it. She already have her chance and she blew it! I’m done!” Christen pushed the red button to end the call.

She quickly type another message to Tobin.

Christen: How dare you! 

Christen: I know I shouldn’t trust you. It seem my decision was the right one. 

Christen: I’m done playing your game. Don’t ever try to contact me again. i don't want to see you. 

 

Tobin saw the text few days later from her perched on the hospital bed. She felt the tears started to swim in her eyes.

“You okay there, hun? Don’t worry. Everything will be okay.” The nurse said in assurance.

Tobin looked up from her new phone and stared at her full casted left leg.

She let out a sad chuckled. “No. I don’t think it ever will.”

She has lost her girl.


	21. It's been a long day....

“Harry, you need to eat.” 

Tobin just straightened her posture on the sofa. Other than that, the midfielder remained quiet.

“Why are you making this so hard? You need to eat so you can get better!” Allie shouted from the kitchen.

Tobin ignored her current housemate. It has been a month after she read the text. She didn’t call Christen or even text her to explain her situation. After the accident, luckily, her sister, Perry was in LA to help but after Tobin stubbornly refused to stay with her for the rest of her recovery, she relented. Even their mom cannot get Tobin to listen to reason. So they decide to let Tobin to get back to her apartment in Portland as she wanted. 

But to her surprise, as she was wheeled out by one of the stewardess on the arrival gate, Allie and Baiti was already waiting for her. On their drive back toward her apartment, Allie just stated that they will be her housemate until further notice. Tobin initially refused because she didn’t want to disturb the newlyweds. They were supposed to be on their honeymoon. But the couple refused to budge from their decision.

“You need help, Tobs. Don’t be stubborn. It’s already decided.” Baiti just said when she brought it up.

For the past few weeks, Baiti and Allie took turns bringing her to the hospital for her physiotherapy. To be honest, Tobin really didn’t put that much of an effort in getting better. She didn’t see the point in that. It’s already end of the season league for women soccer and since their team was currently losing horribly she didn’t think her team will missed her. Her national duties of course suffered but since Jill didn’t have a lot of game schedule at the end of the year, Tobin is not worried. She will just missed three games after all. But if she was really honest to herself, she just didn’t have the courage yet to see Christen. Not with her new love interest. 

She suddenly felt a slap from behind her head. “Oii! I’m talking to you here. Go eat. I’ve made you lunch.”

Tobin just rubbed her sore head but she didn’t make any move at all.

“Urgh…you are not paralyze, you just broke your damn foot. Go eat!" Allie instructed. 

Tobin ignored her and continue watching the TV. 

"Fine, be like that! You need to learn to use that crutch sooner or later. You can’t avoid it forever.” Allie said but she went back to the kitchen to take Tobin’s full plate and bring it back to her.

“Just eat something, Harry. If I don’t think it’s possible, you looked like sticks and bones! And you smell!” 

“No I’m not!” Tobin replied back begrudgingly.

“Yes you do. Even Baiti think so but he was just being polite about it. You still need to take care of yourself, Harry.”

The midfielder just shrugged her shoulder.

“Do you want me to call her?” Allie threatened suddenly.

“No!” Tobin replied back vehemently.

She didn’t think she can bear the thoughts that Christen didn’t care about what happened to her. It’s better this way. She will just imagined that Christen was oblivious to what happened and that’s why the forward never texted or called her at all. Not because she didn’t care. She just didn’t know. Yeah, that’s it. 

Only a handful of people knew about what happened to her. Other than her close friends, most of her teammates just assume Tobin took a long leave of absence due to her old injury. While in actual case was that she broke her left foot in the accident. Clean break, the doctor said. Lucky too, her sister added. But she didn’t feel that way. She just feel that maybe somewhere in the universe that it was giving her a sign that she was not meant to be with Christen. 

Every night since the terrible accident, so many thoughts running through her mind. 

Christen has clearly chose Alyssa. She should have just leave the forward alone. 

She already had her chance and she blew it so she should just let Christen be happy. 

Christen didn’t trust her. Nothing can change that. 

She just want her to be happy. Alyssa seem to make her happy.

She should just give it up. It hurts but she should.

While Tobin continue busied herself with her own pity party, Allie in the meantime texted Alex.

Allie: She’s still the same, Al.

Alex: I think we better tell Chris.

Allie: But she asked us not to!

Alex: Well, I’m gonna tell Chris this week. If she really didn’t care about Tobin we don't have to talk about it. Toby will never know.

Allie: Urgh…I don’t think this is a good idea. But she refused to follow the doctor orders and I’m scared it's just getting worst.

Alex: I know. So that’s why we need Chris.

During the weekend, Allie watched Tobin trying to look uninterested in the Orlando vs Chicago game. She seem to perk up whenever the cameraman focus on Christen and when the forward score the winning goal on the 89th minute for her team she can see Tobin slight jump of excitement. Her face darken however, when she saw Christen hugging Alyssa during their group huddle. Allie just shook her head. If only this two can get their act together.

 

That night Allie received a text from Alex with only three words. “I told her. She didn't say anything.”

Since Alex didn’t text more than that, she know their mission to get Christen's help has failed. Now it is up to them to make sure their best friend doesn’t jeopardize her own future, Allie resolved. 

 

After their visit to the hospital the next day, Allie resolves faltered. The doctor was reprimanding them for not getting Tobin to use her crutch. Her cast needed to remain because her bone was not healing properly. She supposed to start using her leg muscle but Tobin’s refusal to move from her perched on the sofa didn’t help at all. She only walked when she need to go to toilet and that’s it. Allie didn’t know what to do and that made her very frustrated. To avoid blasting her frustration on the morose midfielder, Allie just make up an excuse to go out from the house. She need some air.

 

An hour later after letting out her frustration on the phone to Alex and her husband, Allie took a deep breath before opening Tobin’s apartment door. When she walked into the living room, she was surprised to see that the midfielder was sitting on the stool at the kitchen instead of the sofa. 

“Hey..” Allie greeted.

“Hey..” Tobin replied back unhappily.

“Erm…what are you doing?” 

“What do you think I’m doing? I’m eating lunch!” Tobin replied back testily.

Ignoring the slight hurt she felt from Tobin’s tone, she looked down on what Tobin’s holding and that’s when she realised that there was a few Chinese takeout’s boxes on the counter.

“Oh? You’ve ordered in?” Allie asked back curiously.

Before Tobin can uttered another word, another voice answered from the hallway. 

“No.. she did not. I did.” When Allie turned to face the owner of the voice, she can’t stop her smile from spreading over her face. 

Looking at the dark hair woman in front of her, she now understand why Tobin was getting testy with her.

"Hey, Allie." 

“Hi, Kell....”


	22. The missing link

Kelley gave a soft smile before she wandered back into the kitchen. 

“You want some? I think Hope and I bought enough for the whole team.” Kelley replied while she gestured toward the counter scattered with the takeout boxes.

“Sure, thanks a lot. I didn’t realised I’m quite hungry actually.”

“You're welcome. Just make sure you get the shrimp fried rice before Tobin here finish it.” The defender said jokingly.

“So..when did you guys arrived here? Where’s Hope?” Allie started.

“Just a few minutes before you, I guess. We bought some groceries and lunch first though. Hope went out for a meeting with her sponsors. I thought I just wait here till the meeting’s over and I hope I didn’t interrupted you guys.” Kelley said nonchalantly while putting the groceries away. 

Allie just nodded her head eagerly at the information. Internally, she was feeling relief. Kelley’s here. Hope’s too. Maybe Tobin will listen to them. After choosing one of the fried rice, she took a seat beside Tobin who kept quiet on her stool. 

“We really appreciate the help, Kell. Right, Harry?” Allie nudged Tobin’s side with her elbow.

Tobin remained silent while she continued to play with her food. Kelley stared at the slumped figure in front of her before she whispered softly at Allie.

“Can you give us a minute?”

Allie nodded before moving herself to the living room. Even though her eyes fixed on the TV, her ears however focused on the conversation in the kitchen.

“Why didn’t you tell me about what happened?” Kelley asked.

Tobin just shrugged her shoulder.

“Tobin…this is where I need you to talk to me. So..let me ask again..why?”

“I didn’t think you’ll care.” Tobin mumbled out.

“How can you say that? I thought we are friends! Of course, I want to know what happened to you!”

“…..”

“Tobin….”

“I don’t want you to tell Christen, all right! I know how she always went to you since what happened between us. I don’t want you to have to lie to her. She will hate you for it.” Tobin finally confessed.

Kelley let out a small sigh. “Tobin, you can’t dictate what other people’s feeling like this. Let them decide for themselves how they want to feel, okay?” Kelley reprimanded the midfielder.

Tobin pushed her plate away from her and looked at her hand in guilt. 

“And is that what you really think of us? That whatever happened to you we just don’t care? Do you think so little of me?” Kelley asked back, her voice now tinge with sadness.

“No…no..no..of course not. I know you are not like that. I just thought that since you are with Hope now. You guys are so busy with your life..I…I don’t know. Maybe I deserved this.” Tobin looked down onto her plate shamefully.

“Tobin, nobody deserved this. Especially you. You don’t need to punish yourself like this. I know that you are not eating and you are not following the doctor’s orders. You can’t ignore your health like this. I’m not gonna allowed it.” Kelley stated determinedly.

Tobin looked up at Kelley in surprised. “But…why?”

“I have been thinking about this..about what happened between Christen and you..I think you guys should start by being friend again. We are in National team together. We still need to get that World Cup and Olympic Gold. We can’t do that if you guys are not at least acting as friends.”

“I tried. But every time there was a slight chance that it is happening, something else happened to stop it. Well, look at me now. I don’t want her to be my friend just because she pities me.” Tobin let out unhappily.

“Too bad then. Even though I’m your friend I’ll still pity you and I’m sure she will too. You are a mess! Not only you are disrespecting yourself, you are also disrespecting us, your teammates! Also, you are being downright selfish. Allie and Baiti took the time away from their personal life to take care of you and how did you repay them? By not taking care of yourself! This stop today! Now finish your lunch. Then I suggest for you to go shower. You smelled!” Kelley response in a serious tone.

Tobin watched Kelley walked into the living room. After making a small talk with Allie, Kelley went outside citing that she need to make a call. Tobin just remained staring at the defender with her jaw wide opened. She was interrupted from her staring however, when Allie nudged her at the side again.

“Stop staring at the door. She asked me to make sure you follow her orders.”

“What..just… happened?” Tobin exclaimed in a whisper to herself.

“You tell me. I just went out for an hour and I come back to you sitting here. Which what I have been asking you to do for the past weeks!”

“She and Hope, they just walked in and asked me to help bring in the groceries. Hope threatened to throw me outside if I didn’t move.” Tobin explained. 

She shuddered in fear when she remembers the glare she received from the keeper. No one dare to mess with Hope, that’s a given. 

“Oh..is that what it takes to make you move your stubborn ass?” Allie replied in fake surprised tone. She was doing the same thing but to her disappointment, it doesn’t seem to affect the midfielder as much as the keeper does.

Tobin looked down sheepishly. “I’m sorry for being testy with you. I’m just frustrated. I know I’m a mess and it’s been hard for you.”

Allie chuckled and side hugged her best friend. “You are forgiven. Now, I think you better listen to what she said. She didn’t seem to be in a good mood and I don’t want to see what happen if she told her girlfriend on you.” Allie warned.

Tobin grunted unhappily but Allie noticed the midfielder pulled back her plate to finish her lunch. She didn’t hide the small smile forming on her face. Maybe they can do this without Christen.


	23. Not a happy ending

While the two housemate gathered their thoughts about the defender’s appearance, Kelley in the meantime was on the phone with Christen.

“She didn’t look good, Chris. She needs you. I think she just don’t care about getting better at the moment. You sure you don’t want to come here?” Kelley asked.

Christen not so sure anymore.

When Alex told her about what happened to Tobin, she can feel her heart literally stop beating. She was sure she lose consciousness for a minute there. She must be swaying on her feet since Alex kept a tight hold on her arms to keep her steady. The thought that something worst that might have happened to Tobin, make her realised that she couldn’t hold this animosity against Tobin much longer. But she was not ready to face the midfielder yet. That’s why she called Kelley instead.

“I don’t know Kell.”

“She was not being her old self.” Kelley added.

“Is she eating at least?” Christen asked back in a small voice.

“Yeah, I think so. Last I saw her she was looking quite pitiful on the kitchen stool. We bought Chinese fried rice for her though.” The defender replied back nonchalantly.

“Kell…you know she don’t like that because she kept mistaking the ginger with potatoes…” Christen said exasperatedly.

“Well, Hope refused to read your instructions. It was a damn long lists and a pain to read. Your handwriting is terrible!”

“Kell…”

“You know, I just have a thought. Why not you come here and take care of her…by yourself? Wow…I didn’t think I can come up with such brilliant idea! Maybe those books that Hope pushed me to read actually make me brighter now…” The defender said in sarcastic tone.

Christen just let out a big sigh.

“It’s not that hard, you know. Maybe you guys can start over slowly this time? I want you to be happy, Chris.”

“I am happy…”

“No..I mean really really happy..like you always do when you were with Tobin.”

When Christen didn’t say anything, Kelley quickly added.

“You are not a spiteful person, Chris. I know you. Just listen to what she want to say. Let her try. You guys can’t make up if you keep pushing her away. She already know she wronged you, so just let her make amends. You just need to be open and maybe enjoy the ride.”

 “How can I be sure that she’s not gonna hurt me again?” Christen asked back hesitantly.

 “You’ll never know. But you need to let it go. Let it be. Just see what’s gonna happen. The worst that could happen is that you are being back to where you are now.” Kelley urged.

“Chris?...”

“Chris…are you still there?”

“….”

“Chris? Did you hang up?”

“No..”

“So are you coming?”

 

Few hours later Kelley emerged from the bathroom with a fresh face cleaned from her makeup while wearing her pajamas. Both Allie and Tobin just raised their eyebrows at the defender.

Kelley took notice and looked down on her attire. “What? I don’t have any plan to go out anytime soon and I like to be comfortable.”

“Oh? You mean you are going to stay the night here?” Allied asked eagerly.

Kelley just shrugged her shoulder before she continues walking to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

“That depends. If Hope finished the meeting late, we will just have a sleepover here. If not, she preferred to stay at the hotel.”

“Oh..you don’t have to do that! There is plenty of room here! Since this girl refused to move from the sofa, I can take her bed and you and Hope can used the guest bedroom. I don’t mind! I go change the sheet now!” Allie said in a rush before she run toward the guest bedroom.

Kelley eyes widen at the retreating figure. “I think she really need to get laid.”

Kelley looked startled at her own statement while Tobin let out a big laugh. Before long, Kelley joined in too. They didn’t stop laughing even when Allie came out again to see what is the ruckus is all about. When both players saw Allie curious face, the laughter started all over again.

“Harry, I think Kelley is right. Maybe you should go out with Baiti tonight. You don’t have to worry about me. I think I’m in a good hand. Kelley here can look after me.”

Allie stare at her two friends in suspicion. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. It just come up. Since she has someone to look after her, namely me, I think you can have some fun with your hubby, yeah?” Kelley suggested.

“I’m also sorry that I disturb your honeymoon.” Tobin added softly.

“Hey, we already told you. You are our best friend. We are not gonna leave you alone. Plus, you can make it up to us later like fully paid honeymoon package in Paris?” Allie wiggled her eyebrows.

Tobin let out a small chuckle after hearing Allie’s request.

“I’m going to make sure she make it up to you. Now go....” Kelley urged the tall midfielder.

 

When the two finally were left alone, Tobin focus her attention back towards the TV show. But she can feel Kelley hard stare from her side on the sofa. Tobin took a deep breath and gingerly cleared her throat.

“Just ask Kell..” She started.

“Is this why you didn’t come for your date with Chris?” Kelley gestured towards Tobin casted leg.

Tobin shrugged her shoulder. “Yeah, something like that..”

“Tobin…I asked because I want to know. Just tell me what happened.” Kelley pleaded.

“Erm do you want me to tell you from the start or…” Tobin hesitated.

“I know you went and see Alyssa.”

Tobin flinched after hearing that. “Oh, is she mad about that?”

Kelley thought back to the time Christen told her about what happened. If you asked her a month ago of course she was mad on behalf of her Stanford Alumni. But after going back through what Tobin’s said, she can’t help but feel a little happy that protective Tobin came out again. She was just confused after all that, why would Tobin back out on their date at the last minute. There were so many times that she wants to call Tobin and asked about it. But she felt it was necessary for Tobin to explain it herself since she was the one that hurt her friend in the first place.

“Erm..no…she’s not mad.” Kelley lied unsuccessfully.

“Well after I see Alyssa I went out to the bakery shop to buy her favorite pastries. I guess I was just too excited about the date that I didn’t really look both ways. Before I know it, I was laying down on the road and my phone was smashed into pieces. The ambulance took me to the hospital and they called my mum and she then called Perry. I broke my leg and I have concussion. So I stayed with Perry for a week but I don’t want to be a burden so I decided to come back here. Then Allie and Baiti was waiting for me at the airport and they just moved in with me. That’s it.” Tobin finished her stories.

Kelley eyes getting wider and wider upon hearing Tobin’s explanation.

“How can you be so blasé about all this? You are lucky that it’s not worst! You are stupid for not telling us about what happened, you know that!” Kelley slapped Tobin’s shoulder repeatedly.

Without meaning to, she felt the tears slide down her cheeks. Kelley tried to regulate her breathing but she is unable to stop the tears from escaping. After few seconds more, Kelley just let it all out. Tobin nervously pulled the sobbing woman softly into her arms. She didn’t want to distress her friend more by saying anything but she know she need to apologize. That seem to be the theme with her nowadays.

“I’m sorry, Kell. I’m sorry for not telling you about what happened. I know now that it was stupid. Next time I’m in accident, you’ll be the first to know.” Tobin said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.

Kelley didn’t took the bait. She just tighten her hold on the midfielder. She was just feeling relief that nothing else happened toward Tobin.

 

When Hope reached Tobin’s apartment, it’s already late so she and Kelley decided to take Allie’s suggestion and stay over for the night. She was just thinking about dinner, but when she saw Kelley’s red rimmed eyes she stalked toward Tobin menacingly. Before she can reach the midfielder, Kelley took a hold of her elbow and pulled the keeper away towards the kitchen. They were whispering softly under their breath when Tobin took her crutch and limping slowly passed them towards the bathroom. By the time Tobin came out from the bathroom, Kelley is gone and she was left alone with Hope. Tobin take a deep gulp of breath when the keeper’s icy blue eyes now turned toward her.

“Are you done feeling sorry for yourself yet? Or do you need me to slap some sense into you?” Hope asked suddenly.

Tobin shocked by the burst of questions just looked down to her feet.

“You’ve been eliminating your friends like they don’t matter to you. I don’t care if you want to do it to Alex or Allie or even Christen. But DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT ever do that to Kell! She was there for you all this while! She was your most strong supporter and for you to just throw her away like that? She was worried sick about you!”

Before Tobin can uttered a single reply, Hope continued on.

“Since she got the call yesterday, she didn’t event get a wink of sleep because of you! She kept blaming herself that you are being this way because of her. You better make it right, Tobin. I don’t want her to blame herself for your foolishness! Get your act back together!” Hope lashed out angrily before she stormed out of the kitchen.

Tobin nodded her head. “Hope, wait!”

Hope stopped and turned around to face Tobin.

“Who called Kelley? I mean who told her?” Tobin asked anxiously.

The keeper let out a sigh. “Does it matter?”

“Yeah. Erm ..Just please. I don’t know. I just want to know. Is it Al?” Tobin can feel her heart started to beat faster. She have an inkling of whom that may be.

Hope shook her head and cursed under her breath. She hated it when this happened. When she was angry she just blurted out everything without any filter.

“Hope? Please?” Tobin pleaded.

The keeper hesitated.

“Hope?”

“It’s Chris.” Kelley answered from the bedroom’s doorway.

Tobin mouth opened but no words came out.

“Chris was the one who called me and told me about you.”

Tobin’s figure slumped heavily onto the walls behind her. So she knew. She just didn't care. 

They were done.


	24. Epilogue

“You should tell them the truth.” Alyssa said as soon as Christen sat down in front of her.

The forward just shrugged her shoulder.

“It’s their own fault for coming out with the conclusion, themselves.”

“But you don’t do much to change it and you didn’t tell them differently. I’m so tired getting the third eye from Alex. Like I stole you away.” The keeper added.

“Again…not my fault. They never even have the nerve to ask me directly. Instead they just assume that I was the bad guy here.”

“Isn’t it though?” Alyssa asked in quiet voice.

“What made you say that?” Christen looked at her companion perplexedly.

“By refusing to tell them the truth, you also didn’t help them understand better. Omitting facts also can be considered as lying.” The keeper insisted.

“What did you want me to tell them? Hey guys, sorry if you thought that Alyssa is my new girlfriend. But she’s not though. She just there to provide moral support during my ESPN body issue shoot. Wouldn’t that make it weirder?” Christen replied sarcastically.

“Urgh…you were just being stubborn like always. Honestly, if I said the sky is blue, you will just say it’s purple instead of agreeing with me just for the heck of it. You are being unreasonable right now. But I really think you need to at least think about it. Because I don’t think I can stand another tackle from Alex. See this..it’s already turning blue!” Alyssa show the bruise that started to form on her thigh.

For the past few days since the camp started, she noticed the hostile receptions she received from Tobin’s best friends. Especially Alex. What make it worst is that Alyssa seem to take most of the brunt physically and she knows she need to come clean sooner before it gets worst. So, when she saw Allie, Alex and Kelley lingered around in the hall after the team dinner she took her chance that night.

 

“Hey, guys..” She greeted the three players.

Kelley and Allie let out a small smile as a respond while Alex continue glaring into her phone. So, Alex will be the most difficult one, she concluded. Ignoring her fellow forward at the moment, Christen continued on.

“I need to talk to you guys about something.” Christen started.

“Is this about your new girlfriend?” Kelley asked back curiously.

“Something like that..yeah..” The forward replied hesitantly.

“Are you guys making it official soon? I mean to the rest of the team.” Allie added.

“Erm..no actually I just want to tell you guys that there’s nothing between me and Alyssa. So maybe you can stop giving her and me the cold shoulder?”

Alex suddenly looked up from her phone and glared at Christen. “What do you mean she’s not your girlfriend? Tobin told us that you two were an item! She saw you two!”

“Erm, I think there was a mistake here. She was just making that assumption on her own.” Christen defended herself.

“Why would she say that if that was not true?” Alex demanded back.

“Well, she saw Alyssa fetch me back from our lunch with Nima and his boyfriend. I may have hinted that I have a lunch date that day but not just with Alyssa. She was in LA to accompany me for the shooting with ESPN body issue. They want me to be on their cover for November issue.” Christen explained.

“Wait isn’t that the magazine that show athlete’s in the nude? You are doing that? I thought you are very shy about your body?” Kelley asked back in shock.

Christen nodded her head.

“Yes, you know how I feel about my body, Kell. That’s why I need my friend, Alyssa with me. She suggested for me to do the indoor shooting first just to see whether I’m comfortable enough.”

Alex just shook her head sadly. “But that didn’t explain why you didn’t visit Tobin. You know she needed you.”

“I can’t change my schedule with them, Al. It’s bad enough that they agreed to do two separate shooting with me I can’t suddenly back out from my agreement.”

“Shooting doesn’t take weeks, Chris. There’s no reason for you not to come after that.” Alex grumbled out.

Christen looked at Kelley helplessly.

Looking between the two, Kelley shot up straight in her seat. “Erm, I think that was my fault. I told her not to because Tobin doesn’t want her to.”

“Why the hell did you do that!” Allie punched Kelley on her shoulder.

“Ow…wait wait. I didn’t know that Christen and Alyssa were not a couple, okay? How can I know that! The first time I asked Chris to come visit Tobin, she just said she can’t do it. Then few days later she change her mind and said she want to. I don’t know what to think. You know how bad Tobin was that day. I thought if she come back then Tobin will surely started to feel hopeful but then once she know Chris was not available, that will crush her! I don’t want to mess up with her recovery okay!” The defender exclaimed loudly.

“Oh my God. We really are a bunch of idiots. Kelley, next time can you just ignore the urge to get into anyone business? Especially if it involves our love lives! You made Tobin think that Chris didn’t care and made Chris here think that Tobin doesn’t want her there! That is so mess up!” Allie shouted at the defender.

Kelley can feel the start of tears in her eyes. Before long, the tears started running down her cheeks heavily. She know she screwed up big time. Shit.

Looking at Kelley’s teared stricken face, Christen suddenly was overwhelmed with a realisation. Alyssa was right. This is all her fault. Kelley will not feel the need to protect Tobin if she just being honest with them in the first place. Christen crouched down in front of Kelley and bring her now sobbing friend into her arms.

“Shhh….shh…Kell. It’s not your fault. It’s mine. Shhh…sh…I’m sorry, Kell. I should just tell you the truth and all of this will never happen.”

Alex and Allie each side hugged the defender tightly.

“Yeah, Kell. I’m sorry for shouting at you. I’m just surprised that’s all.” Allie tried to sooth the defender.

“Honestly, it’s Chris fault. She just admitted it. Now we will let her fix it.” Alex demanded.

Chris nodded her head. “Yeah, Kell. Come on. I need you to help me on this. You are good at planning right?”

Few minutes passed before Kelley leaned back to stare at Christen. Her tears stopped and a soft smile appear on her face.

With a hiccupped voice, the defender replied.

“How..hick…do you think..hick..Tobin will react…hick..when she know…hick…about…Alyssa..

hick..seeing you naked?”

Christen eyes widen while the other two sitting beside Kelley let out a soft sniggered.

Oh..she didn’t think about that.


	25. What happen after epilogue?

Tobin eyes widened in surprised as she opened the door. She can feel her heart beat quickened as she stared at the green eyes in front of her.

“Chris….”

She watched as the corner of the forward’s mouth tilted slightly. 

“Hey..” Christen greeted back.

Tobin continue to stare at Christen’s face. Her hold on the door tighten. She felt slightly unsteady. Am I dreaming? Tobin thought to herself.

“No, you are not dreaming.” Christen said suddenly and that’s when Tobin realized she uttered the words out loud.

“Erm…what are you doing here?” 

The forward just shrugged her shoulder. “Visiting you.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“Why now?” Tobin asked again. Scowl on her face.

Christen was startled at the hint of anger she detected from Tobin’s voice. Even though she already suspected she will not get a warm welcome, this is different. Tobin was never angry at her before.

“I just want to apologize on how I have been treating you this past months.”

Without saying anything, Tobin just left the door opened and head back towards the kitchen. Since she still refused to use the crutches, Tobin was hopping towards the kitchen. 

Christen hovered in the doorways as she watched Tobin’s retreating figure. A few more seconds ticked by before she strengthened her resolved and took her first step into the apartment. 

Hidden from view, Tobin stopped at the corner of her kitchen to sneak a glance at the forward. As she watched Christen’s body turned around to close the front door, Tobin released a sigh of relief. She hustled quickly to the counter when she heard the incoming footsteps and continued with preparing her meal which was abandoned halfway when she heard the doorbell earlier.

“Is that gonna be your lunch?” Christen asked as soon as she reached the kitchen counter.  
Tobin just nodded her head. 

“Tobin…” Christen sighed loudly. She just walked further into the kitchen and nudged Tobin away from the counter.

“Move. I’ll make lunch. Peanut butter and jelly is not lunch.” 

“You don’t have to do that. I know how to take care of myself.” Tobin replied stubbornly.

Christen just shook her head. “That’s not what Allie told me.”

Tobin just huffed loudly. “She lied.”

“Really? So, when she told me you just hop around instead of using your crutch that’s a lie to?” Christen said nonchalantly while she rummaged through the fridge.

Tobin stop hopping towards the kitchen stool and blushed red. She just shrugged sheepishly when Christen turned back to her with raised eyebrows. 

“Sit. Grilled chicken with lemon and herbs sound okay to you?”

Tobin nodded her head eagerly. Once she was situated comfortably on the stool she pulled her plate near and started to munch on her sandwich.

“That’s gonna spoil your lunch.” Christen warned. 

“Nuh..uh..I missed breakfast.” 

Their conversation stopped there. Tobin just watched Christen moved around the kitchen comfortably prepping the chicken and other ingredients without missing a beat. It’s like she never left. After Christen put in the chicken into the oven, she leaned against the counter while staring at the muted midfielder opposite hers.

“I mean it before, you know. I’m sorry for the way I behave and the way that I treated you. Even though I said I’d gave you a chance, I know in my heart I’m still not ready.”

Tobin just shrugged her shoulder looking down onto her plate trying to avoid Christen’s eyes. 

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m the one that hurt you first and I know I deserved that.”

Christen leaned forward and cradled Tobin’s hand between hers. “No, Tobin. Nobody deserved that. I was too blind in my pain that I didn’t see that what I did hurts you too.”

“It’s my fault. Even the universe agreed. See here…Exhibit A.” Tobin gestured to her casted leg.

Christen tightened her grasped on Tobin. “Are you saying that you purposely sabotage your recovery because you think you deserved this? Because about what happened between us? Are you nuts?”

Tobin defenses goes up. She pulled her hand away. Before she can say anything, Christen interjected.

“Do you know how I feel when I know about what happened to you from Alex? I felt happy. Happy because then I know you didn’t stood me up. But then I feel guilty for being happy. I want to see you but at the same time I am still angry! When Kelley said that you didn’t want me to come, I’m happy that I don’t have to see you. But then I’m angry again that you can say that easily! How can you! And how dare you get into an accident when you are supposed to be groveling to me!” Christen explained unhappily.

Without meaning to, Tobin let out a small chuckle. “And now, you are here to apologize for being mean to me but at the same time you are still angry at me? For getting myself into accident? And I’m the one that’s crazy?”

“Yeah, you still are. I’m too pretty to be call crazy and yes I’m still angry at you.” The forward stated seriously.

“Okay.”

Christen was perplexed. “That’s it?”

“Yeap. What else you want me to say? We have been doing this same dance for months. I say sorry, then something happened, you say sorry, then something happened again, next I tell you I’m sorry. But it still doesn’t change the fact that you still have a girlfriend. You chose her and not me.” Tobin replied gruffly.

“But…” Ignoring Christen’s protest, Tobin continued.

“I want to be more than friends with you. I want to be the one that you see first thing in the morning when you wake up. I want to be the one that bring you flowers and paid for our meal when we go on a date. I want to be the one that you go to when you feel sad or just want to cuddle with. I can’t have that because you are already taken. So now that you see how pathetic I am, you’ll just take a pity on me and forget whatever I have said and tried to pretend we are friends from now on.” Tobin finally finished with a resigned tone.

The oven timer sound at the same time the realization dawn upon her. Tobin doesn’t know.


	26. Ending this

Should she tell Tobin the truth or be quiet about it? Should she wait to see whether Tobin really want to be her friend first? They should amend their friendship first, right? Looking at the midfielder’s resigned face, Christen internally shook herself. 

No. Enough. They need to start with a clean slate.

“Chris? Are you gonna get that? I’m hungry. I’m not kidding when I said I missed breakfast.” Tobin turned her head slightly her pout already firm on her face. 

“No.” Christen stated.

“Oh..erm okay. You want me to take it myself?” Tobin mistook Christen words just stare at the oven sadly.

“No…what I mean is that I don’t have a girlfriend. Alyssa is not my girlfriend. We are not anything. Well, that’s not right either. She’s my friend and teammate at least.” Christen blurted out quickly before she loses her nerves.

Tobin just looked back at Christen with her jaw wide opened. “But..that afternoon…”

Christen shook her head. “It’s just lunch. But it was not a date. I didn’t said it was but I know you think it and I didn’t corrected it.”

It was as if a switch had been flipped. Tobin’s face brightened, her posture straightened, and she let out a big smile. Christen swore she also can see the sparkle of mischief in the midfielder’s eyes.

“You mean….?”

Christen shrugged her shoulder before she turned to the oven. She busied herself with plating the chicken and filling up the drinks for two and sit on the stool beside Tobin. She pushed Tobin’s plate nearer to the midfielder started on her meal.

Tobin didn’t move a muscle. She’s still mulling on whatever Christen told her just now. She turned sideways and watched the forward eat like she didn’t just bombarded Tobin with such a big news.

“Eat.” Christen instructed when she noticed Tobin still haven’t made a move.

“Well, since you are single and I am single, do you want to mingle? So we can become a double?” Tobin replied cheekily.

Christen totally ignored her but Tobin can see a grin forming at the corners of her mouth. She fists pumped internally. 

“Eat your food.”

“Oh..oh I know. You are here because you want me to grovel and then at the end of your visit, you gonna ask me to be your girlfriend. Well, Chris…for your information, I’m not that easy.” Tobin continued.

Christen turned her head slightly toward Tobin as the midfielder’s laughter rang out loudly. Her eyebrows raised warning Tobin not to push further. Tobin continue laughing harder until there were tears leaking from her eyes. Before long, the laughter turns into sobbing instead. In panic, Christen quickly stood up and cradled the sobbing midfielder into her arms. 

“Hey…come on. Shh…It’s okay. Everything will be alright.” Christen rubbed Tobin’s back soothingly.

“You don’t know that, Chris. There is always something...” Tobin muttered in teary voice.

“Tobin, looked at me.” Christen pushed Tobin’s chin up to face her.

When their eyes met each other, Christen gave a reassuring smile. “We just need to make sure that we talk to each other and I need you to promise not to give up on me.”

“Why? Why did you suddenly change your mind?”

“Life is too short for me to hold a grudge. Someone wise once told me to look forward and not into the past. Every minute that I was mad means that I was wasting 60 seconds of happiness.” 

“Yeah? Who said that?” Tobin asked curiously. 

“Kelley. But I’m sure she just read it from Twitter.” 

“Nah…that one I think from Tumblr. Some motivation shit she always follows. So..erm…are we really going to do this?” Tobin asked back anxiously.

Christen looked deeply into Tobin’s eyes and replied with a single word. “Yes.”


End file.
